Self-Consistent Vlasov Description of the Free Electron Laser Instability.
Abstract
In recent years there have been several theoretical and experimental investigations of the free electron laser which generates coherent electromagnetic radiation using an intense relativistic electron beam as an energy source. With few exceptions, theoretical studies of the free electron laser instability are based on highly simplified models which often neglect beam kinetic effects and coupling to higher harmonics of the fundamental wiggler wavenumber k sub 0, or make use of very idealized approximations in analyzing the matrix dispersion relation. The purpose of the present paper is to develop a fully self-consistent description of the free electron laser instability base d on the Vlasov-Maxwell equations. The final matrix dispersion relation includes all beam kinetic effects and coupling to arbitrary harmonic number (n) of the fundamental wiggler wavenumber k sub 0. Moreover, the final matrix dispersion relation makes no a priori assumption that any off-diagonal elements are negligibly small. The present analysis assumes a relativistic electron beam with uniform cross-section propagating in the z-direction through a helical wiggler field.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA089833
Entities
People
- Han S. Uhm
- Ronald C. Davidson