The first electron beam of Turkish Accelerator and Radiation Laboratory (TARLA): the commissioning of TARLA 20 MeV beamline

Abstract Turkish Accelerator and Radiation Laboratory (TARLA) is proposed as the first accelerator-based user facility within the framework of the Turkish Accelerator Center project initiative. Following the completion of technical design studies and infrastructure development, the installation of accelerator components commenced. TARLA is designed to produce free-electron laser (FEL) and bremsstrahlung radiation utilizing state-of-the-art superconducting accelerator technology. The facility aims to operate FELs in the wavelength range of 5–350 µm by accelerating electrons to energies between 15 and 40 MeV, and to generate bremsstrahlung radiation with electrons accelerated up to 30 MeV. As a major milestone, the first stable electron beam was successfully generated in April 2024, marking the completion of the facility’s first operational phase. This study presents the commissioning efforts for the electron beam, outlines the current operational status of the facility, and discusses future plans and the research potential of TARLA.