Microbunch preserving bending system for a helical radiator at the European X-ray Free Electron Laser

At the European X-ray Free Electron Laser there is a planar undulator system under construction called SASE3, which produces intense linearly polarized light in the wavelength range from 0.4-1.6 nm. Nevertheless there is a strong demand for circularly polarized radiation in this wavelength range. An important part of a potential solution is described in this paper. After the planar undulator the electron beam, which is completely bunched, is sent through a suitable radiator. This can be an economically and technically convenient method to generate radiation with polarization properties, which are determined only by the radiator. If in addition a bend is used to separate the light created by the linear SASE3 from that of the radiator, two beam lines may be served, one with planar and one with circular radiation. In this case the light of the helical radiator is not contaminated by the light generated by the planar system. In order to obtain coherent radiation in the radiator, the microbunching of the planar undulator must be preserved throughout the bend. This is the basic problem. In this paper a fundamental, basic study is made. Several solutions for bending systems are presented, whose complexities, wavelength ranges, and debunching effects are different. The expected circular polarization and radiation power by such a bend are simulated for a model radiator.