Initial Commissioning Experience with the Superconducting RF Photoinjector at ELBE

A radio frequency photo injector with a superconducting acceleration cavity (SRF gun) for installation at the Radiation Source ELBE was developed within a collaboration of BESSY, DESY, FZD, and MBI. The aim of the project is to improve the electron beam quality and to extend the parameter range of the ELBE accelerator. Especially the bunch charge will be increased up to 1 nC and the transverse emittance will be reduced to 1 - 3 mm mrad. At present, the thermionic injector at ELBE delivers bunches of 77 pC at about 8 mm mrad. Furthermore, the SRF gun together with its diagnostic beam line is an excellent test bench for extended studies and improvements of this new and promising injector type. The gun cryostat, the electron diagnostic beamline, and the driver laser with optical beamline were installed in summer and fall 2007. In November the first beam was produced. It will be reported on the experience gained at the first phase of commissioning. Results of rf and beam parameter measurements with Cu and Cs2Te photo cathodes will be presented.