A laser-electron-heater system has been recently installed alongside the LCLS injector system. It is like a small "inverse" free electron laser, or more precisely it is made to generate an uncorrelated energy spread in the electron beam.

We've got at SLAC many people that are in love with the "little queen," the nickname in France for the bicycle (la petite reine). And some push that love to the top of competition.

The requirements for the LCLS injector gun UV drive laser are in some part quite challenging. Along with a specific wavelength, repetition rate and energy, the laser beam needs a particular profile in both longitudinal (time domain) and transverse (space) modes.

Leaving your country, your family, your friends to start a new job 9,000 km away from them (oh sorry, 5,600 miles) is not a straight decision to make. For me, I didn’t really need a long time to make up my mind!