URL: https://pitz.desy.de/research_and_development/@@siteview
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Research and development
The Photo Injector Test facility at DESY in Zeuthen (PITZ) develops high brightness photocathode RF guns, advanced diagnostics and applications of the high brightness electron beams, which currently can be accelerated up to 22 MeV.
In 2022 there were two main experiments: the worldwide first high-power THz SASE free-electron laser (FEL) and a new R&D platform for FLASH radiation therapy and radiation biology.
The THz SASE FEL aims at producing high power tunable narrow band THz pulses with an energy of hundreds of *J per pulse. This can be realized by transporting and matching an electron beam with a bunch charge of 2 to 4 nC and a peak current up to 200 A into an undulator. Methods have been developed at PITZ for the beam envelop and trajectory optimization of the strongly space charge dominated electron beam. Results were obtained from first lasing, seeding studies and even saturation at 3 THz.
The R&D platform FLASHlab@PITZ for radiation biology and electron FLASH radiation therapy is being prepared at PITZ. PITZ can provide a uniquely wide parameter range for studying this newest modality of radiation treatment against cancer. A startup beamline has been installed, first successful experiments have been done and an upgrade plan for exploiting the full capability of PITZ was developed.
