The SPARC project: a high-brightness electron beam source at LNF to drive a SASE-FEL experiment

The Project Sorgente Pulsata e Amplificata di Radiazione Coerente (SPARC), proposed by a collaboration among ENEA-INFN-CNR-Universita' di Tor Vergata-INFM-ST, was recently approved by the Italian Government and will be built at LNF. The aim of the project is to promote an R&D activity oriented to the development of a coherent ultra-brilliant X-ray source in Italy. This collaboration has identified a program founded on two main issues: the generation of ultra-high peak brightness electron beams and of resonant higher harmonics in the SASE-FEL process, as presented in this paper. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.