Laser diagnostics of micro bunches (old tricks, new games)

The transverse shape and the length of micro bunches can be determined thanks to Compton scattering signals. Scanning the bunches across a laser-driven fringe pattern produces periodic modulations of the amount of scattered light, i.e. fringes whose visibility contains information on the electron transverse distribution. Through inverse Fourier transforms, even and odd parts of the profiles of bunches whose size compares with or is larger than the optical wavelength can be reconstructed. The method is suited for round and flat bunches. Methods of bunch length evaluation are also presented. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics