We present experimental results on tuning of the HGHG FEL output wavelength while holding the input seed wavelength constant. Using compression of the initially chirped beam in the HGHG dispersion section we have measured the wavelength shift of about 1% around the nominal value of 266 nm. The tuning range is expected to reach 3 % after the dispersive section upgrade at the DUV FEL. An optimized design based on this principle, using additional linac sections, would have the capability of providing full tunability.

The DUV-FEL at BNL, is the world’s only facility dedicated to laser-seeded FEL R&D and its applications. The HGHG at the DUV-FEL reached saturation at 266 nm with 800 nm seeding [1] in 2002. Since then, the first chemical science experiment – ion pair imaging, was successfully completed [2].The DUV-FEL linac is being upgraded from 200 to 300 MeV to enable the HGHG FEL to produce 100 μJ pulses of 100 nm light. This will establish the DUV FEL as a premier user facility for XUV radiation. The upgraded facility will also enable several critical R&Ds for a future X-ray FEL based on HGHG, such as cascaded HGHG and higher harmonic HGHG (n>5). The upgraded HGHG will operate at the 4th harmonic with the seed laser at 400nm. The increase of the electron beam energy will be accomplished by installing a 5th linac cavity and two 45 MW klystrons. New modulator and dispersion sections vacuum chambers will be manufactured to accommodate new matching optics and 8th harmonic HGHG. The status of the DUV-FEL upgrade and other FEL R&D opportunities will be discussed.