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Degradation in gain for a free electron laser amplifier due to electron momentum spread

Journal Article · · Int. J. Infrared Millim. Waves; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01006937· OSTI ID:5550763
It is shown that a finite spread in axial momentum for the electron beam in a free electron laser (FEL) amplifier decreases the small-signal gain. In amplifiers such as those for millimeter and submillimeter waves, in which exponential growth dominates the gain, the latter is shown to be about 3 dB less than that of a cold beam for cases in which the relative momentum spread equals (1) an expression involving the cold-beam case gain in dB, (2) the magnetic wiggler period, and (3) the amplifier length. Exact numerical examples are presented for representative FEL amplifiers at 35 and 550 GHz.
Research Organization:
Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
OSTI ID:
5550763
Journal Information:
Int. J. Infrared Millim. Waves; (United States), Journal Name: Int. J. Infrared Millim. Waves; (United States) Vol. 2; ISSN IJIWD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English