Electron spectra and coherence of radiation in undulators

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method for evaluating the electron energy spectrum in undulators and Compton sources, accounting for statistical and recoil effects, with implications for photon density and coherence in high-energy radiation sources.

Contribution

A new method based on Poisson weighted superposition for calculating electron spectra applicable across different emission intensities and photon energies, validated by simulations.

Findings

Maximum coherency degree proportional to undulator period and inversely to electron energy.

Method applicable in both classical and quantum regimes.

Electron energy spread influenced by Poisson statistics and recoil diffusion.

Abstract

Most bright sources of the radiation in hard x-ray and gamma--ray regions are undulator sources and Compton based ones. These sources are ultimate for production of polarized positrons necessary for future linear colliders ILC, CLIC. We developed a novel method for evaluating the energy spectrum of electrons emitting the undulator- and the inverse Compton radiation. The method based on Poisson weighted superposition of electron states is applicable for whole range of the emission intensity per electron pass through the driving force, from much less than unity emitted photons (Compton sources) to many photons emitted (undulators), and for any energy of the photons. The method allows for account contributions in the energy spread both from the Poisson statistics and diffusion due to recoils. The theoretical results were confirmed by simulations. The electron energy spectrum was used for evaluation of the on-axis density of photons and their coherency making use of the `carrier--envelope' presentation for the emitting photons. The evaluated maximum coherency degree of single--electron radiation is evaluated to be proportional to the undulator spatial period and inversely to the energy of electrons, the number of coherently emitted undulator periods almost independent of the undulator deflection parameter. The results of our study are applicable both for the classical limit of classical undulator and for the quantum limit of Compton gamma--ray sources.