Time-resolved electron-beam characterizations with optical transition radiation

Time-resolved characterizations of electron beams using optical transition radiation (OTR) as a prompt conversion mechanism have recently been extended on the Los Alamos Free-electron Laser (FEL) facility 40-MeV linac. Two key timescales for rf-linac driven FELs are the micropulse (10 ps) and the macropulse (5 μs to 1 ms). In the past we have used gated, intensified cameras to select a single or few micropulses (25 to 400 ns gate width) out of the pulse train to evaluate submacropulse effects. Recently, we have obtained some of the first measurements of micropulse bunch length (7 to 10 ps) and submacropulse spatial position and profile using OTR and a Hamamatsu streak camera. Additionally, micropulse elongation effects and head-to-tail transverse kicks are reported as a function of charge