The stability of free-electron lasers against filamentation

Conference · Tue Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:5503069

Barnard, J J; Scharlemann, E T; Yu, S S

In inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments, the high electromagnetic fields propagating through a relatively dense plasma can result in a transverse instability, causing the matter and light to form filaments oriented parallel to the light beam. We examine whether a similar instability exists in the electron beam of a free-electron laser, where such an instability could interfere with the transfer of beam kinetic energy into optical wave energy. We heuristically examine the instability in a relativistic beam through which an intense laser beam is propagating. We ignore the FEL effects. We estimate how the altered index of refraction in an FEL affects the dispersion relation. Finally, we estimate the effect that the instability could have on the phase coherence of a particle as it transits an FEL. 10 refs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5503069
• Report Number(s): UCRL-96821; CONF-8709140-2; ON: DE88004712
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
700208* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Inertial Confinement Technology
BEAMS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DISPERSION RELATIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
ELECTRON BEAMS
ENERGY RANGE
EQUATIONS
FREE ELECTRON LASERS
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
LASERS
LEPTON BEAMS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REFRACTIVITY
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
WAVE EQUATIONS
WAVE PROPAGATION