Selective amplification of the lower-frequency branch via stimulated super-radiance in a waveguided free electron laser oscillator driven by short electron bunches

Abstract

In this letter, we propose a mechanism to extend the spectral range of a waveguided free electron laser (FEL) oscillator driven by a rf LINAC toward significantly longer wavelengths without changing the undulator or accelerator design parameters. This mechanism involves selective amplification of a lower-frequency branch supported in a FEL due to the waveguide dispersion. Based on simulations performed for the terahertz FEL under construction at the Radboud University Nijmegen, we conclude that these long wavelengths can be efficiently amplified via stimulated super-radiance as the electron bunches are shorter than the radiation wavelength.