Abstract:
The present invention is concerned with a free electron laser. The free electron laser comprises an electron source operable to emit a beam of electrons, a particle accelerator operable to accelerate the beam of electrons to relativistic energies, an undulator operable to guide the relativistic electron beam along a periodic path so as to stimulate emission of coherent radiation and a steering unit operable to alter the trajectory of the electron beam so as to direct the electron beam from a first path along which the electron beam propagates substantially in a first direction to a second path along which the electron beam propagates substantially in a second direction, wherein the first path and the second path are vertically separated from one another.
Abstract:
An adjustable diffraction grating comprises: an optical element and a distortion mechanism. The optical element has an optical surface for receiving an input radiation beam. The optical element is provided with a plurality of closed channels below the optical surface, above each closed channel the optical surface being formed from a membrane of material. The distortion mechanism comprises one or more actuators that are operable to distort the membranes over the closed channels so as to control the shape of the optical surface and to form a periodic structure on the optical surface which acts as a diffraction grating such that the input radiation beam is diffracted from the optical element to form a plurality of angularly separated sub-beams.
Abstract:
A reluctance actuator assembly comprising a reluctance actuator, a flux sensor to measure a magnetic flux in a gap of the reluctance actuator, and a flux amplifier to drive an actuator coil of the reluctance actuator based on a flux set point and the flux measured by the flux sensor. A method comprising providing to the flux amplifier a flux setpoint, the flux setpoint comprising a time constant component and a sinusoidally varying component at an excitation frequency, measuring a force generated by the reluctance actuator in response to the flux setpoint, and calibrating the reluctance actuator assembly from the measured force.