Nonlinear theory of a free electron laser with a helical wiggler and an axial guide magnetic field

A 1D nonlinear theory of a free electron laser (FEL) with a helical wiggler and an axial guide magnetic field is developed based on averaged equations of the electron motion. By averaging we separated two different cases of the e-beam/rf-wave interaction. The first one corresponds to the traditional...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review special topics. PRST-AB. Accelerators and beams 2013-09, Vol.16 (9), p.090701, Article 090701
Main Authors: Ginzburg, N. S., Peskov, N. Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Current loss
Cyclotron resonance
Doppler effect
Efficiency
Electron beams
Electron oscillations
Feature extraction
Free electron lasers
Gyrofrequency
Magnetic fields
Orientation
Oscillators
Synchronism
Trajectory analysis
Wave interaction
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Summary:A 1D nonlinear theory of a free electron laser (FEL) with a helical wiggler and an axial guide magnetic field is developed based on averaged equations of the electron motion. By averaging we separated two different cases of the e-beam/rf-wave interaction. The first one corresponds to the traditional wiggler synchronism (resonance) of rf wave with the electrons moving along stationary helical trajectories. The second one corresponds to combination resonances distinguishing by excitation of oscillation of the electrons near the stationary helical trajectory. Comparative analysis of the FEL operation in different regimes has been studied under the traditional wiggler synchronism condition. It was shown that FELs operated far from cyclotron resonance (including a reversed guide field orientation) possess low sensitivity to the initial velocity spread in the driving beam resulting in high electron efficiency. In contrast, under the weak guide field (the gyrofrequency is less than the bounce frequency) of a conventional orientation, the FEL efficiency is restricted by a significant increase in the transverse velocity of the electrons during the interaction with the rf wave that results in violation of the synchronism conditions and is accompanied by electron current losses. An additional mechanism of FEL efficiency enhancement under the conventional guide field orientation in the conditions when the gyrofrequency is higher than the bounce frequency, based on the dependence of the effective mass of the oscillating electrons on their energy, was demonstrated. Results of the theoretical analysis are compared with the results of experimental studies of FEL oscillators. The specific features of energy extraction from the electron beam under condition of an abnormal Doppler effect in the case of the combination resonance are described. This regime is beneficial to increase radiation frequency keeping wiggler period and electron energies.
ISSN:1098-4402
1098-4402
2469-9888
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevSTAB.16.090701