Simulation codes for high brightness electron beam free-electron laser experiments

The high brightness electron beam required by a short wavelength self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron laser (FEL) may be reached only with an accurate design of the beam dynamics from the generation in the rf injector up to the undulator. The beam dynamics is affected by strong self-consistent effects at injection, in the compression stage, and during the FEL process. The support of numerical simulations is extensively used in the predictions of the beam behavior in these nonlinear dynamical conditions. I present a review of available simulation techniques, currently exploited in the design of short wavelength free-electron lasers.