Advanced Externally Seeded FEL Schemes for High-Repetition-Rate Operation at SHINE

Abstract: Externally seeded free-electron lasers (FELs) are promising approaches for generating fully coherent soft-X-ray radiation. Their extension to shorter wavelengths and MHz-level repetition rates is, however, constrained by the limited availability of high-repetition-rate seed lasers with sufficient energy modulation. Recent self-amplification and direct-amplification experiments at the Shanghai Soft X-ray FEL facility have significantly relaxed the peak-power requirement for high-gain harmonic generation (HGHG) and opened a practical path toward echo-enabled harmonic generation (EEHG). Using the SHINE bypass line, three compatible high-repetition-rate seeded-FEL configurations are explored: self-modulation cascaded HGHG, self-modulation EEHG, and direct-amplification-driven EEHG. Numerical simulations indicate that these schemes can provide flexible routes toward MHz-level operation with harmonic generation beyond the 30th order. A common modulator-chicane layout is proposed to preserve compatibility among the candidate modes and to support future optimization and experimental implementation at SHINE.