The stability of free-electron lasers against filamentation
Abstract
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.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 5503069
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-96821; CONF-8709140-2
ON: DE88004712; TRN: 88-008185
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Conference
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 9. international free electron laser conference, Williamsburg, VA, USA, 14 Sep 1987; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; FREE ELECTRON LASERS; INSTABILITY; DISPERSION RELATIONS; ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS; ELECTRON BEAMS; INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES; REFRACTIVITY; RELATIVISTIC RANGE; WAVE EQUATIONS; WAVE PROPAGATION; BEAMS; DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; ENERGY RANGE; EQUATIONS; LASERS; LEPTON BEAMS; OPTICAL PROPERTIES; PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; PARTICLE BEAMS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; 700208* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Inertial Confinement Technology; 700107 - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Instabilities
Citation Formats
Barnard, J J, Scharlemann, E T, and Yu, S S. The stability of free-electron lasers against filamentation. United States: N. p., 1987.
Web.
Barnard, J J, Scharlemann, E T, & Yu, S S. The stability of free-electron lasers against filamentation. United States.
Barnard, J J, Scharlemann, E T, and Yu, S S. Tue .
"The stability of free-electron lasers against filamentation". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5503069.
@article{osti_5503069,
title = {The stability of free-electron lasers against filamentation},
author = {Barnard, J J and Scharlemann, E T and Yu, S S},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5503069},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1987},
month = {9}
}