Diagnostic Tools for Operation and Optimization of the ELBE-FEL

A FEL in the mid infrared range is one of the applications of the ELBE cw-electron accelerator. The successful operation of the lasing process for the different wavelength is mainly determined by the alignment of the optical cavities, the bunch length and the energy spread of the electron beam so as the transversal adjustment of the beam through the FEL. The energy spread and the bunch length of the electron beam have their minima at different phase conditions of the accelerator. For various energy settings of the accelerator a special adjustment of both parameters has to be found for the lasing process. The presentation describes the diagnostic tools used at ELBE for the correct alignment of the optical cavity, the steering of the electron beam through the FEL and the adjustment of the electron beam parameters with respect to energy spread and bunch length.