The experimental study of the surface current excitation under the influence of a relativistic electron electromagnetic field

TL;DR

This study experimentally investigates how a relativistic electron electromagnetic field excites surface currents on a conductive target, revealing that such currents are only induced on the upstream surface, impacting the understanding of transition and diffraction radiation.

Contribution

The paper provides experimental evidence clarifying the presence of surface currents only on the upstream surface under relativistic electron fields, resolving a theoretical contradiction.

Findings

Surface currents are induced only on the upstream surface.

No surface current is observed on the downstream surface.

Results impact the understanding of transition and diffraction radiation mechanisms.

Abstract

The problem of the surface current excitation in a conductive targets by a relativistic electron electric field as the origin of such radiation mechanisms as diffraction and transition radiation of relativistic electron was considered in frame of both surface current and pseudo-photon methods. The contradiction between these viewpoints in respect to the surface current on the target downstream surface necessitated the experimental test of this phenomenon. The test performed on electron beam of the 6 MeV microtron showed, that not any surface current is induced on the target downstream surface under the influence of a relativistic electron electromagnetic field in contrast to the upstream surface. This is important implication for the understanding of the forward transition and diffraction radiation nature.