Yuri Lurie

Selective amplification of the lower-frequency branch via stimulated super-radiance in a waveguided free electron laser oscillator driven by short electron bunches

In this letter, we propose a mechanism to extend the spectral range of a waveguided free electron laser (FEL) oscillator driven by a rf LINAC toward significantly longer wavelengths without changing the undulator or accelerator design parameters. This mechanism involves selective amplification of a lower-frequency branch supported in a FEL due to the waveguide dispersion. Based on simulations performed for the terahertz FEL under construction at the Radboud University Nijmegen, we conclude that these long wavelengths can be efficiently amplified via stimulated super-radiance as the electron bunches are shorter than the radiation wavelength.

Radiation measurements in the new tandem accelerator FEL

The Israeli tandem electrostatic accelerator FEL (EA-FEL), which is based on an electrostatic Van der Graaff accelerator was relocated to Ariel 3 years ago, and has now returned to operation under a new configuration. In the present FEL, the millimeter-wave radiation generated in the resonator is separated from the electron beam by means of a perforated Talbot effect reflector. A quasi-optic delivery system transmits the out-coupled power through a window in the pressurized gas accelerator tank into the measurement room (in the previous configuration, radiation was transmitted through the accelerator tubes with 40 dB attenuation). This makes it possible to transmit useful power out of the accelerator and into the user laboratories. After re-configuring the FEL electron gun and the e-beam transport optics and installing a two stage depressed collector, the e-beam current was raised to 2 A. This recently enabled us to measure both spontaneous and stimulated emissions of radiation in the newly configured FEL for the first time. The radiation at the W-band was measured and characterized. The results match the predictions of our earlier theoretical modeling and calculations.

Model and simulation of wide-band interaction in free-electron lasers

Abstract A three-dimensional, space-frequency model for simulation of interaction in free-electron lasers (FELs) is presented. The model utilizes an expansion of the total electromagnetic field (radiation and space-charge waves) in terms of transverse eigenmodes of the waveguide, in which the field is excited and propagates. The mutual interaction between the electron beam and the electromagnetic field is fully described by coupled equations, expressing the evolution of mode amplitudes and electron beam dynamics. Based on the three-dimensional model, a numerical particle simulation code was developed. A set of coupled-mode excitation equations, expressed in the frequency domain, are solved self-consistently with the equations of particles motion. Variational numerical methods were used to simulate excitation of backward modes. At present, the code can simulate FELs operation in various modes: spontaneous (shot-noise) and self-amplified spontaneous emission, super-radiance and stimulated emission, all in the non-linear Compton or Raman regimes.

Backward Wave Excitation and Generation of Oscillations in Free-Electron Lasers in the Absence of Feedback—Beyond the High Gain Approximation

Quantum and free-electron lasers (FELs) are based on distributed interactions between electromagnetic radiation and gain media. In an amplifier configuration, a forward wave is amplified while propagating in a polarized medium. Formulating a coupled mode theory for excitation of both forward and backward waves, we identify conditions, leading to efficient excitation of backward wave without any mechanism of feedback or resonator assembly. The excitations of incident and reflected waves are described by a set of coupled differential equations expressed in the frequency domain. The induced polarization is given in terms of an electronic susceptibility tensor. In quantum lasers the interaction is described by two first-order differential equations. In FELs, the excitation of the forward and backward modes is described by two coupled third-order differential equations. In our previous investigation analytical and numerical solutions of reflectance and transmittance for both quantum lasers and high-gain FELs were presented. In this work we extend the study to a general FEL without restriction of the high-gain approximation. It is found that when the solutions become infinite, the device operates as an oscillator, producing radiation at the output with no Held at its input, entirely without any localized or distributed feedback.

Space-frequency model of amplified spontaneous emission and super-radiance in free-electron laser operating in the linear and non-linear regimes

Abstract A three-dimensional, space-frequency model for the excitation of electromagnetic radiation in a free-electron laser is presented. The approach is applied in a numerical particle code WB3D simulating the interaction of a free-electron laser operating in the linear and non-linear regimes. Solution of the electromagnetic excitation equations in the frequency domain inherently takes into account dispersive effects arising from the cavity and the gain medium. Moreover, it facilitates the consideration of statistical features of the electron beam and the excited radiation necessary for the study of spontaneous emission, synchrotron amplified spontaneous emission (SASE), super-radiance and noise. We employ the code to study the statistical and spectral characteristics of the radiation generated in a pulsed beam free-electron laser operating in the millimeter wavelengths. The evolution of the radiation spectrum, excited when a Gaussian-shaped bunch with a random distribution of electrons is passing through the wiggler, was investigated.