Optimization of the Felix Accelerator with Respect to Laser Performance

In this paper we discuss the performance of the FELIX accelerator in relation to the laser performance. Over the past year, a number of improvements have been made to the accelerator, both to the hardware and to the way in which it was operated, that have resulted in a reduction of the time needed to reach saturation from 9 to 3 mus. Energy spread and stability, both short and long term, and operational flexibility, an important issue for a user facility, are addressed. Surprisingly, ''best'' FEL performance is not obtained at the same operation point that gives the smallest energy spread, which suggests that the electron bunch length is not fixed. Evidence is presented for the conjecture that the non-isochronicity of the bend plays a major role. Measurements of enhanced spontaneous emission and of coherence between successive optical micropulses, indicating a spatial structure in the electron microbunches on the scale of an optical wavelength, are also discussed.