An optical resonator with insertable scraper output coupler for the JAERI far-infrared free-electron laser

The performance of an optical resonator featuring an insertable scraper output coupler was evaluated for the JAERI far-infrared free-electron laser. An efficiency factor of the resonator was introduced for evaluation. The efficiency factor was derived from the amount of the output coupling and diffractive loss of the optical resonator, which were calculated by using an optical mode calculation code, using the iterative computation called Fox-Li procedure. As a result of the evaluation, it was found that the insertable scraper coupler was the most suitable for the far-infrared free-electron lasers. Dependencies of insertion direction and scraper radius were also investigated to find out the optimum geometry of the insertable scraper coupler. It was found that the optimum direction of the scraper was parallel to the wiggling plane of the electron beam and the efficiency of the optical resonator increased with the enlargement of the scraper radius. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.