Analysis of \v{C}erenkov free-electron lasers

TL;DR

This paper analyzes a ce9renkov free-electron laser driven by a flat electron beam, demonstrating its potential to generate coherent terahertz radiation through surface mode interactions and providing both analytical and numerical insights.

Contribution

It introduces a rigorous analytical framework for ce9renkov FELs using coupled Maxwell-Lorentz equations and validates it with numerical simulations.

Findings

Analytical formulas for small signal gain and growth rate derived.

Numerical simulations confirm analytical predictions in the linear regime.

System can produce coherent terahertz radiation under suitable conditions.

Abstract

We present an analysis of a \v{C}erenkov free-electron laser (FEL) driven by a flat electron beam. In this system, an electron beam travelling close to a dielectric slab placed at the top of an ideal conductor interacts with the co-propagating electromagnetic surface mode. The surface mode arises due to singularity in the reflectivity of the dielectric slab for the incident evanescent wave. Under suitable conditions, the surface mode grows as a result of interaction with the electron beam. We show that the interaction of the surface mode with the co-propagating electron beam can be rigorously understood by analyzing the singularity in the reflectivity. Using this approach, we set up coupled Maxwell-Lorentz equations for the system, in analogy with conventional undulator based FELs. We solve these equations analytically in the small signal regime to obtain formulae for the small signal gain, and the spatial growth rate. Saturation behaviour of the system is analyzed by solving these equations numerically in the nonlinear regime. Results of numerical simulations are in good agreement with the analytical calculations in the linear regime. We find that \v{C}erenkov FEL under appropriate conditions can produce copious coherent terahertz (THz) radiation.