LAL (ORSAY) RF GUN SIMULATIONS AND MODEL CAVITY DESIGN

The use of dispenser cathode for RF gun allows both thermionic and laser-driven operation. Simulations re­ sults for both cases and cavity design are presented. The status of the project is described. In trod uction Over the last 5 years, a growing interest for very bright electron sources has been shown in different lab­ oratories around the world. RF gun first developed in Stanford [1] and Los Alamos [2] has the potential of pro­ viding such very bright beams. More than twenty RF gun projects are now going on [3]' in view of FEL and fu t ure accelerators. At LAL Orsay, we are planning to develop a laser­ driven RF gun [4], in order to gain some experience in this field and to provide a possible bright source for the high-gradient accelerator facility NEPAL [5]. A (W, Ba, Ca) dispenser cathode will be used, therefore allowing both thermionic and laser-driven operation [6]. Simula­ tions for both operating conditions are presented here. A low-level RF model cavity was launched to check some RF properties of the design and to evaluate the size of the coupling slots. Basic design characteristics are presented.