Prebunched Electron Beam Research Articles

Twisted terahertz excitation using pre-bunched relativistic electron beam in magnetic wiggler

This work presents a theoretical analysis of the generation of twisted terahertz (THz) radiation using laser-bunched relativistic electron beams in a magnetic wiggler. By employing a laser-bunched relativistic electron beam, which introduces a transverse modulation to the electron beam density, and a magnetic wiggler, which induces a transverse deflection to the electron trajectories, the generation of twisted THz radiation is achieved. The interaction between the modulated electron beam and the magnetic field leads to the emission of THz photons with a twisted phase structure. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the generation and manipulation of twisted THz radiation contributing to the advancement of THz technology and its diverse applications.

Self-enhanced coherent harmonic amplification in seeded free-electron lasers

High-intensity, ultrashort, fully coherent X-ray pulses hold great potential for advancing spectroscopic techniques to unprecedented levels. Here, we propose a novel scheme for generating high-brightness and femtosecond-scale soft X-ray radiation within a seeded free-electron laser (FEL) operating at MHz repetition rates. This scheme relies on the principles of self-modulation and superradiance. A relatively weak energy modulation of the pre-bunched electron beam is significantly amplified by the coherent radiation emitted in the self-modulator. Consequently, a coherent signal at ultra-high harmonics of the seed is achieved, and this signal is further amplified in the subsequent radiator through the fresh bunch and superradiant processes. Based on the parameters of the Shanghai soft X-ray FEL facility, three-dimensional simulations have been performed. The simulation results demonstrate that an electron beam with a laser-induced energy modulation as small as 2.3 times the slice energy spread can generate ultrashort coherent radiation pulses of around 2 GW within the water window spectral range. Moreover, the experimental results demonstrate that self-enhanced coherent energy modulation enables the production of coherent signals up to the 15th harmonic of a 266-nm seed laser. These findings indicate that the proposed scheme promises to generate ultrashort and coherent soft X-ray pulses at MHz repetition rates.

Effect of ion channel guiding on the saturation mechanism of single and two-stream free-electron lasers based upon a rectangular hybrid wiggler

The paper studies a simulation of a one-dimensional nonlinear free electron laser that includes a square hybrid wiggler, prebunched electron beam, and ion-channel guiding mechanism. The Lorentz equations of motion and the Maxwell equations were combined to derive a set of non-linear differential equations solved numerically within the framework of slowly varying amplitude and wavenumber. The relativistic electron beam is assumed to be cold, and self-fields of the electron beam and the slippage of the radiation wave are ignored. The appropriate parameters are chosen in such a way that the Raman regime is being considered, where there is high density and low energy. The effect of ion-channel densities on the saturation of the device is studied for both groups Ι and ΙΙ orbits. It is found that as the ion channel density increases, the range of saturation radiation for group Ι circuits increases, too. In contrast, the saturated radiation amplitude for group ΙΙ orbits is decreased with increasing the ion-channel density. Moreover, the results of the numerical calculations show that the saturation length for an FEL with a prebunched beam is considerably shorter than that of a uniform electron beam. A free electron laser (FEL) model called the two-stream FEL, which uses two relativistic electron beams of different energy, is also studied. Comparing the radiation amplitude between FEL and TSFEL shows that TSFEL is more efficient than FEL.

High efficiency tapered free-electron lasers with a prebunched electron beam from echo-enabled harmonic generation

High efficiency tapered free-electron lasers with a prebunched electron beam from echo-enabled harmonic generation

Free-electron terahertz radiation based on silicon gratings with in-plane waveguide emission

We present a method utilizing the coupling between a pre-bunched electron beam and a silicon subwavelength grating to generate coherent terahertz waves. The grating that is connected to two opposite-traveling in-plane waveguides functions as a resonator. An example operating around 2 THz shows that, when the velocity and repetition frequency of the electron bunches respectively match the phase velocity and resonant frequency of the Bragg resonance in the grating, the strong electron-wave coupling leads to coherent radiation through the waveguide. The repetition frequency of the electron bunches can be halved by using its second harmonic to match the resonant frequency. This study might offer a potential approach for on-chip terahertz sources.

New Type of Sub-THz Frequency-Doubling Gyro-TWT With Helically Corrugated Circuit

A novel type of frequency doubling gyrotron traveling wave amplifier (FD-GTWT) for applications that require high-power microwave in the sub-THz frequency range is presented. The proposed FD-GTWT delivers high power and high gain over a broad bandwidth and simultaneously doubling the frequency of the input signal. Simulations of a first 263GHz FD-GTWT design are presented, which show for a 10mW driving signal at 131.5GHz an RF output power of 250W at 263GHz and a gain of >40dB over a bandwidth of 17.5GHz. The basis of the FD-GTWT are two interaction circuits separated by a long drift section. In the first circuit, the electron beam is pre-bunched at the fundamental cyclotron harmonic. In the second one, high-power RF is induced by the pre-bunched electron beam at the 2nd cyclotron harmonic. Both sections consist of helically corrugated waveguides that efficiently suppress parasitic interactions and allow broad bandwidth.

Simulation of pre-bunched free electron laser oscillator in the THz regime

One of the long-term objectives in the development of high gain free electron lasers (FEL) is to reduce the necessary electron beam voltage for a strong FEL interaction at a given frequency. FEL oscillators (FELOs) play the main role to this end. In this paper, the simulation of one dimensional FELO with planar wiggler is done at the applicable Tera-hertz regime. The effect of pre-bunched electron beam on the gain improvement or on the laser length is investigated. To study the evolution of system, a set of self-consistent nonlinear differential equations are solved numerically by the Runge-Kutta method and the averaging of electron beam is done by the Simpson method.

Some analyses on optimal energy-extraction efficiency in a free-electron laser

In this paper, the energy-extraction efficiencies of the electron beam are studied for several cases of free-electron laser (FEL). For an initially cold electron beam, the optimal initial detuning for the maximum energy-extraction efficiency and the corresponding saturation length are given. A scheme of the ‘top up’ is proposed to enhance the efficiency: after the electron energy being modulated somewhat, a phase shift and a step-down of the phase bucket are introduced, so that all electrons are located near the upper separatrix of the bucket in the phase space. Finally, the energy-extraction efficiency can be increased by 30% compared with that of the normal undulator case. For a linear tapering undulator with an initially cold electron beam, the simple scaling laws for the maximum energy-extraction efficiency and the corresponding optical power gain are obtained. For a tapered undulator with the pre-bunched electron beam, our analysis gives that the energy-extraction efficiency reaches the maximum when the phase bucket height of the tapered undulator is equal to the amplitude of the detuning modulation. The numerical results validated this reasoning and show that the efficiency has a large increase compared with the case of the unbunched electron beam. The single stair-step undulator is investigated, the optimal step and the corresponding saturation power and saturation length are given by analysis, they agree well with the numerical simulation results.

Generation of two terahertz radiation pulses with continuously tunable frequency and time delay

We propose to generate two narrow band terahertz pulses radiated from two temporally modulated relativistic electron beams, which are generated in a photo-injector. The temporal profile of the drive laser is modulated by means of the paired chirped pulses beating technique, leading to the generation of two pre-bunched electron beams. Coherent transient radiation (CTR) is considered as the mechanism for terahertz radiation generation. The frequencies of the two terahertz pulses can be independently tuned by adjusting the paired beating frequencies, and the interval between the two terahertz pulses can be adjusted by the optical delay line.

Superradiant and stimulated-superradiant emission of bunched electron beams

We outline the fundamental coherent radiation emission processes from a bunched charged particles beam. In contrast to spontaneous emission of radiation from a random electron beam that is proportional to the number of particles, a pre-bunched electron beam can emit spontaneously coherent radiation proportional to the number of particles - squared, through the process of (spontaneous) superradiance (SP-SR) (in the sense of Dicke's). The coherent SP-SR emission of a bunched electron beam can be even further enhanced by a process of stimulated-superradiance (ST-SR) in the presence of a seed injected radiation field. In this review, these coherent radiation emission processes for both single bunch and periodically bunched beams are considered in a model of radiation mode expansion. The general model of coherent spontaneous emission is extended to the nonlinear regime, particularly for undulator (wiggler) interaction: Tapering-Enhanced Stimulated Superradiant Amplification (TESSA). Processes of SP-SR and TESSA take place in tapered wiggler seed-injected FELs. In such FELs, operating in the X-Ray regime, these processes are convoluted with other effects. However these fundamental emission concepts are useful guidelines for the strategy of wiggler tapering efficiency and power enhancement. Based on this model, we review previous theories and experiments on coherent radiation sources based on SP-SR (coherent undulator radiation, synchrotron radiation, Smith-Purcell radiation etc.), in the THz regime and on-going works on tapered wiggler efficiency-enhancement concepts in all optical frequency regimes up to X-Rays.

Effect of beam prebunching on saturation characteristics of Raman free electron laser with helical wiggler and axial magnetic field

Abstract In this paper, amplification and saturation properties of one dimensional free electron laser (FEL) operating in Raman regime with helical wiggler and axial magnetic field are studied. In order to investigate and enhance the saturation characteristics of the system, prebunched electron beam is considered which describes the non-uniform initial distribution of the electrons. By using Maxwell’s equations and Lorentz force equation of motion of the beam, a set of self-consistently coupled nonlinear differential equations, describing radiation dynamics and beam trajectories, is derived and is solved numerically by the fourth order Runge–Kutta method. To study the effect of the beam prebunching on the saturation, the linear and non-linear initial distribution of the electrons are considered. Depending on the strength of the axial field, it is found that beam prebunching can reduce the saturation length and enhance the saturation efficiency of the radiation field substantially which can be offered as an effective approach to bring down the cost of the FEL system.

Tunable Free-Electron-Driven Terahertz Diffraction Radiation Source

In this paper, we propose a tunable terahertz (THz) radiation source that utilizes a free electron beam to generate THz diffraction radiation coupled with the guided modes in a cylindrical corrugated waveguide. Detailed theoretical analyses and computer simulations are conducted, and the results demonstrate the characteristics of the tunable radiation frequency. In particular, the coherent diffraction radiation excited by a prebunched electron beam is discussed both theoretically and numerically with regard to the enhancement of the radiation power and efficiency. This paper may offer attractive prospects for the development of compact and tunable radiation sources in the THz frequency regime.

Publisher’s Note: High efficiency tapered free-electron lasers with a prebunched electron beam [Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 20 , 110701 (2017)

Publisher’s Note: High efficiency tapered free-electron lasers with a prebunched electron beam [Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams <b>20</b> , 110701 (2017)

Measurement of pre-bunched beam’s longitudinal form factor based on radiation from a tunable-gap undulator

The form factor, representing the statistical characteristics of a bunch's longitudinal distribution, is one of the most essential properties of a pre-bunched electron beam and is used for many types of frontier accelerator applications. We demonstrated the measurement of a pre-bunched beam's longitudinal form factor component based on coherent radiation from a widely tunable-gap undulator. The radiation energy from bunches with different longitudinal properties was measured as a function of undulator gap. The root-mean-square length of a 60 pC ultrashort quasi-Gaussian bunch generated by linac and chicane compression ranged from 75 fs to 240 fs, as obtained by fitting the radiation energy curve. Furthermore, the form factor component of the bunch train based on nonlinear longitudinal space charge oscillation was measured, and a higher-order harmonic component was observed with the proposed method than with the widely used coherent transition radiation method. The proposed method may satisfy the requirements of sub-fs bunch length measurement with proper undulator design.

High efficiency tapered free-electron lasers with a prebunched electron beam

In this paper we analyze the high gain, high efficiency tapered free-electron laser amplifier with a prebunched electron beam. Simple scaling laws are derived for the peak output power and extraction efficiency and verified using 1D simulations. These studies provide useful analytical expressions which highlight the benefits resulting from fine control of the initial conditions of the system, namely the initial electron beam bunching and input seed radiation. When time-dependent effects are included, the sideband instability is known to limit the radiation amplification due to particle detrapping. We discuss two different approaches to mitigate the sideband growth via 1-D time dependent simulations. We find that a more aggressive taper enabled by strong prebunching and a modulation of the resonance condition are both effective methods for suppressing the sideband instability growth rate.

Analysis of emissions from prebunched electron beams

The emissions of the prebunched electron beam, including the coherent spontaneous emission and the self-amplified stimulated emission, are analyzed by using one-dimensional FEL theory. Neglecting the interaction of the electrons and the radiation field, the formula of the coherent spontaneous emission is given, the power of which is proportional to the square of the initial bunching factor and of the undulator length. For the general emission case of the prebunched electron beam, the evolution equation of the optical field is deducted. Then the analytical expression of the emission power is obtained for the resonant case; it is applicable to the regions from the low gain to the high gain. It is found that when the undulator length is shorter than four gain lengths, the emission is just the coherent spontaneous emission, and conversely, it is the self-amplified stimulated emission growing exponentially. For the nonresonant prebunched electron beam, the variations of the emission intensity with the detuning parameter for different interaction length are presented. The radiation field characters of the prebunched electron beam are discussed and compared with that of the seeded FEL amplifier.

Femtosecond response time measurements of a Cs2Te photocathode

Success in design and construction of a compact, high-brightness accelerator system is strongly related to the production of ultra-short electron beams. Recently, the approach to generate short electron bunches or pre-bunched beams in RF guns directly illuminating a high quantum efficiency semiconductor photocathode with femtosecond laser pulses has become attractive. The measurements of the photocathode response time in this case are essential. With an approach of the interferometer-type pulse splitter deep integration into a commercial Ti:Sa laser system used for RF guns, it has become possible to generate pre-bunched electron beams and obtain continuously variable electron bunch separation. In combination with a well-known zero-phasing technique, it allows us to estimate the response time of the most commonly used Cs2Te photocathode. It was demonstrated that the peak-to-peak rms time response of Cs2Te is of the order of 370 fs, and thereby, it is possible to generate and control a THz sequence of relativistic electron bunches by a conventional S-band RF gun. This result can also be applied for investigation of other cathode materials and electron beam temporal shaping and further opens a possibility to construct wide-range tunable, table-top THz free electron laser.

Extending the photon energy coverage of an x-ray self-seeding FEL via the reverse taper enhanced harmonic generation technique

In this paper, a simple method is proposed to extend the photon energy range of a soft x-ray self-seeding free-electron laser (FEL). A normal monochromator is first applied to purify the FEL spectrum and provide a coherent seeding signal. This coherent signal then interacts with the electron beam in the following reverse tapered undulator section to generate strong coherent microbunchings while maintain the good quality of the electron beam. After that, the pre-bunched electron beam is sent into the third undulator section which resonates at a target high harmonic of the seed to amplify the coherent radiation at shorter wavelength. Three dimensional simulations have been performed and the results demonstrate that the photon energy gap between 1.5keV and 4.5keV of the self-seeding scheme can be fully covered and 100GW-level peak power can be achieved by using the proposed technique.

Simultaneously coherent excitation of multi-modes THz radiation from dielectric loaded waveguide by pre-bunched electron beam

The cylindrical dielectric loaded waveguide (DLW) supports a discrete set of modes, which can be excited by electron beam passing through the structure, and the high-order modes can be the harmonics of the fundamental one by properly choosing the parameters of the DLW. By using a train of electron bunches, repeated at the fundamental frequency of the DLW, as the driving source, coherent and simultaneous excitation of multi-modes can be expected. With this proposed scheme, multi-color narrow-band THz radiation with high pulse power and high frequency can be obtained simultaneously.

Enhancement of Coherent THz Smith-Purcell Radiation by Resonance Overlapping

Frequency-locked coherent Smith-Purcell Radiation (SPR) is emitted when a train of pre-bunched electron beam passes close to the surface of a metallic grating, which develops an energy density spectrum restricted to harmonics of the bunching frequency. For the lamellar grating with narrow grooves, the radiation spectrum from a single electron can also have a feature of narrow band, which is related to the grating structure and the beam energy. The combination of them is proposed in this paper. By properly choosing the parameters, the peak frequency of single electron radiation can be overlapped with the harmonics of the bunching frequency of the electron bunch train, leading to the generation of extremely intense narrow-band THz radiation.