Status of Thomson source at SPARC/PLASMONX

The PLasma Acceleration and MONochromatic X-ray generation (PLASMONX) project foresees the installation at LNF of a 0.3 PW (6 J, 20 fs pulse) Ti:Sa laser system, named Frascati Laser for Acceleration and Multidisciplinary Experiments (FLAME), to operate in close connection with the existent SPARC electron photo-injector, allowing for advanced laser/e-beam interaction experiments. Among the foreseen scientific activities, a Thomson scattering experiment between the SPARC electron bunch and the high power laser will be performed. At the present time the linac has been tested and the electron beam characterized up to the maximum operating energy (150 MeV). The beam lines transporting the beam to the interaction chamber with the laser have been designed. The electron final focusing system, featuring a quadrupole triplet and large radius solenoid magnet (ensuring an e-beam waist of 5-10 mu m) as well as the whole interaction chamber layout has been defined. The optical transfer line issues: transport up to the interaction; tight focusing; diagnostics and fine positioning; have been solved within the final design. The construction of the building hosting the laser has been completed: delivering and installation of the laser, as much of the beam lines elements will take place in the next months. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.