THz coherent transition radiation at TeraFERMI: First characterization of THz radiation and electron beam dynamics

TeraFERMI is the coherent transition radiation THz source now in commissioning at the FERMI free electron laser (FEL) facility in Italy. The high brightness electron beam driving the FEL is transversally and longitudinally manipulated in the dump line following the FEL undulator, in order to eventually produce hundreds of μJ-level energy per pulse, several-THz emission from the target. We report on the status of TeraFERMI, the first experimental characterization of the electron beam dynamics and of the THz radiation, and provide an outlook of the next TeraFERMI runs.