FLASH experimental halls in July 2014: left: 'Kai Siegbahn' (FLASH2) and right: 'Albert Einstein' (FLASH1) .
An additional FEL undulator line in a separate tunnel, and a new experimental hall adjacent to the existing FLASH experimental hall, has been build in order to enhance significantly the capacities for users. Now the FLASH facility at DESY comprises two separate and almost independent FEL sources (FLASH1 and FLASH2).
Different seeding schemes, which will provide a basis for radiation properties superior to SASE operation, are under discussion. Ultra-short optical laser pulses with high single pulse energy at the repetition rate of the electron bunches are needed for these seeding schemes. A corresponding laser amplifier is currently under development in collaboration with Helmholtz Institute Jena.
The construction of the FLASH II tunnel and hall is completed and first user experiments are expected in 2015/2016.
