Operation of the superconducting RF photo gun at ELBE

As the first superconducting rf photo-injector (SRF gun) in practical operation, the FZD SRF gun has been successfully connected to the superconducting linac ELBE. This setting will improve the beam quality for the users of ELBE radiation source. The SRF gun consists of a 3½ 1.3GHz SC cavity and a normal conducting photocathode. A modified 3½ niobium cavity has been fabricated and tested, which will increase the RF gradient in the gun and thus improve the beam parameters further. The electron beam of 3 MeV with the max bunch charge of about 400pC has been routinely produced for conditioning. In this paper the status of the SRF gun injection to the linac will be presented, and the latest results of the beam experiments will be discussed.