Free Electron Laser Performance with Quadruple Magnet Misalignment from Shipboard Vibrations

The Free Electron Laser (FEL) has been discussed and studied in the United States Navy’s directed energy weapon efforts. The goal of these studies is to use the FEL as a ship’s primary defensive weapon against incoming threats such as missiles, aircraft and small boats. This thesis is an analysis of the effects of shipboard vibration on the performance of an FEL. The focus of this analysis will be on the performance degradation due to quadrupole magnet misalignments from ship vibrations and flexing. This study is aimed at improving system design efforts by determining the sensitivity of an FEL on magnet misalignments due to shipboard vibration and flexing. Simulations were conducted on the magnets placed along the electron beam path between the end of the accelerator and the beginning of the undulator. Simulations within this study were conducted using the 3D FEL simulator designed and programmed at the Navy Postgraduate School and FELSIM designed and managed by Advanced Energy Systems.