Stimulated emission by E×B drifting electrons grazing a diffraction grating

Author

Riyopoulos, Spilios

Author_Institution

Sci. Applications Int. Corp., McLean, VA, USA

Volume

34

Issue

6

fYear

1998

fDate

6/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

933

Lastpage

941

Abstract

It has been recently proposed that generation of relativistically upshifted radiation by an E×B drifting electron beam grazing a diffraction grating combines the Smith-Purcel free-electron laser (FEL) merits of short wavelengths at low beam energies, with efficiencies much higher than the 1/2 N_g conventional FEL limit. The small-signal theory is studied here, including the effect of drift velocity shear from the equilibrium (unbunched) space-charge fields. The dependence of the small-signal gain on the device parameters is determined and the startup current is evaluated. The effect of thermal beam spreads is analyzed and found that the oscillation startup current is much less sensitive to thermal spreads than a similar grating FEL

Keywords

diffraction gratings; electron beams; free electron lasers; laser theory; space charge; stimulated emission; E×B drifting electron beam; E×B drifting electrons; Smith-Purcel free-electron laser; device parameters; diffraction grating; drift velocity shear; equilibrium; grating FEL; low beam energies; oscillation startup current; relativistically upshifted radiation; short wavelengths; small-signal gain; small-signal theory; startup current; stimulated emission; thermal beam spreads; thermal spread; unbunched space-charge fields; Corrugated surfaces; Diffraction gratings; Electron beams; Electron emission; Electrostatics; Free electron lasers; Laser beams; Stimulated emission; Surface emitting lasers; Surface waves;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.678588

Filename

678588