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abstract:
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VISA (Visible to Infrared SASE Amplifier) is a high-gain self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE)
free-electron laser (FEL), which achieved saturation at 840 nm within a single-pass 4-m undulator. The
experiment was performed at the Accelerator Test Facility at BNL, using a high brightness 70-MeV electron
beam. A gain length shorter than 18 cm has been obtained, yielding a total gain of 2x10(8) at saturation. The
FEL performance, including the spectral, angular, and statistical properties of SASE radiation, has been characterized
for different electron beam conditions. Results are compared to the three-dimensional SASE FEL
theory and start-to-end numerical simulations of the entire injector, transport, and FEL systems. An agreement
between simulations and experimental results has been obtained at an unprecedented level of detail.
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