V. V. Bleko

First experimental observation of the conical effect in Smith–Purcell radiation

The conical effect in Smith–Purcell radiation arising from electrons moving at non-zero angle to the direction of grating periodicity has been observed for the first time. It was found that the maximum of radiation intensity for ψ ≠ 0 shifts in both polar and azimuth angles. The experimental and theoretical results were compared, and the good agreement was shown. The experiment has been performed for 6 MeV electrons and at millimeter wavelengths.

Spectrum of coherent transition radiation generated by a modulated electron beam

The spectrum of coherent transition radiation has been recorded with the use of a Martin–Puplett interferometer. It has been shown that the spectrum includes monochromatic lines that are caused by the modulation of an electron beam with the frequency of an accelerating radio-frequency field νRF and correspond to resonances at νk = kνRFk ≤ 10. To determine the length of an electron bunch from the measurement of the spectrum from a single bunch, it is necessary to use a spectrometer with the resolution Δνsp > νRF.

Characteristics of Smith-Purcell radiation in millimeter wavelength region

Investigations of the Smith-Purcell radiation (SPR) were began with non-relativistic electron beams with some unexpected experimental results. Further the experimental investigations were performed with relativistic electron beams for application to beam diagnostics. Large discrepancy between different theoretical models significantly increases the role of experimental studies of this phenomenon. In this report we present some problems and features of experimental investigations of SPR in millimeter wavelength region. The problems of prewave zone and coherent effects are considered. The shadowing effect, focusing of radiation using a parabolic SPR target and effect of inclination of target strips were investigated with moderately relativistic electron beam.

Coherent Cherenkov radiation as an intense THz source

Diffraction and Cherenkov radiation of relativistic electrons from a dielectric target has been proposed as mechanism for production of intense terahertz (THz) radiation. The use of an extremely short high-energy electron beam of a 4th generation light source (X-ray free electron laser) appears to be very promising. A moderate power from the electron beam can be extracted and converted into THz radiation with nearly zero absorption losses. The initial experiment on THz observation will be performed at CLARA/VELA FEL test facility in the UK to demonstrate the principle to a wider community and to develop the radiator prototype. In this paper, we present our theoretical predictions (based on the approach of polarization currents), which provides the basis for interpreting the future experimental measurements. We will also present our hardware design and discuss a plan of the future experiment.

Coherent radiation of relativistic electrons in dielectric fibers in the millimeter wavelength range

The generation of visible light by a relativistic electron beam in dielectric fibers was considered in X. Artru and C. Ray, Nucl. Inst. Meth. B 309, 4 (2013), where the characteristics of radiation induced in a fiber by the electromagnetic field of a relativistic charged particle were studied and it was emphasized that they differ from those in the traditional mechanisms of radiation such as transition and diffraction. We have experimentally studied the characteristics of such a radiation in the millimeter wavelength range. It has been shown that radiation can be generated through different mechanisms depending on the geometry of the position of a fiber with respect to the trajectory of the charged particle. Fibers have been shown to be promising for nondestructive diagnostics of accelerator beams.

On the role of the surface currents in conducting targets in the formation of the diffraction and transition radiation of relativistic electrons

The surface current method and the pseudophoton method are widely used in the study of the interaction between relativistic electrons and matter. A simple analysis reveals the contradictions between these methods as to the excitation of the currents on the surface of the conducting target. To solve this contradiction, the surface currents on the downstream and upstream surfaces of the conducting target were measured in the geometry of the diffraction radiation. The surface currents were experimentally recorded on the upstream target surface, from which the backward diffraction radiation is generated. At the same time, the surface currents are absent on the downstream target surface, which is conventionally considered as a source of diffraction radiation in the direction of the motion of electrons. Analogous results were obtained in the same geometry in a beam of real photons. On the whole, these results confirm the applicability of the pseudophoton method for the analysis of the effects of the interaction between the field of relativistic photons and the thick (thicker than the skin layer) conducting targets and inapplicability of the surface current method for the radiation in the direction of motion of electrons.

Radiation properties of metamaterials in millimeter wavelength region

We propose and demonstrate a type of composite metamaterials, which is constructed by combining thin copper wires and split ring resonators on the same board. Using the optimized target parameters we had investigated the orientation-angular dependence of radiation refraction in metamaterial target. The measurements were performed in free space as well, as the spectral characteristics of refracted radiation in comparison with the initial spectra. The measured dependences show the formal correspondence of the radiation characteristics to the negative refraction index of the metamaterial structures. This correspondence is only formal one, which follows from the Snellius law, because really the permittivity and the permeability should be considered as macroscopic tensor characteristics of metamaterial.