Recommissioning of Duke Storage Ring with A HOM-Damped RF Cavity and A New Straight Section Lattice for Fels

The Duke FEL lab operates a unique UV/VUV storage ring FEL and an FEL driven nearly monochromatic, highly polarized, high intensity Compton gamma-ray source. The Duke storage ring light source is undergoing several phases of upgrade in order to significantly improve its light source capabilities and performance. The recent upgrade in 2004 included an upgrade of the RF system with a high-order mode damped RF cavity and a new 34 meter long straight section lattice designed to host new FEL wigglers. This upgrade was completed in August 2004, followed by the storage ring and light source commissioning. This paper provides an overview of this upgrade project and reports the commissioning experience of the Duke storage ring and light sources.