Cherenkov free-electron laser

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:7059804

Walsh, J; Shaughnessy, C; Layman, R; Dattoli, G; Gallerano, G

Cherenkov radiation, produced by mild to moderately relativistic electron beams as they traverse dielectric-loaded surface-wave resonators, can be used as the basis of a free-electron laser. Devices of this kind have now been operated at wavelengths ranging from the cm to the far-infrared region of the spectrum. Recent work is summarized. Three different accelerator types and a range of operating voltages have been employed. Pulse-line accelerators (PLA) and pulse transformers (PT) have been used in the mm-sub mm regime. At shorter wavelengths, compact radio-frequency accelerators can be employed. This summary reviews a 5 MandV microtron accelerator-driven experiment. The electron beam consists of a train of 25-ps-long micropulses spaced at the period of the 3-Ghz accelerating field and the resonator consists of a pair of opposing trough guides. One of the trough surfaces is coated with a thin polyethylene film. The film thickness, together with the beam energy determine the operating wavelength. In the present experiment, a 2-micrometer film and the 5-MeV beam give a design wavelength of 100 micrometers.

• Research Organization: Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7059804
• Report Number(s): AD-A-196334/7/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
ACCELERATORS
BEAMS
CHERENKOV RADIATION
CYCLIC ACCELERATORS
CYCLOTRONS
DIMENSIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRON DRIFT
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
FILMS
FREE ELECTRON LASERS
INFRARED RADIATION
LASERS
LEPTON BEAMS
MICROTRONS
PARTICLE BEAMS
RADIATIONS
RESONATORS
SURFACES
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS