Kiloampere Electron Beam of a Linear Induction Accelerator as a Driver for a Submillimeter Free Electron Laser

• Published in: Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Physics Vol. 87; no. 5; pp. 573 - 579
• Main Authors: Sandalov, E. S., Sinitsky, S. L., Arzhannikov, A. V., Nikiforov, D. A., Skovorodin, D. I., Pavlyuchenko, V. A., Ginzburg, N. S., Peskov, N. Yu, Protas, R. V., Karasev, D. Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.05.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Emittance; Free electron lasers; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Nuclear Physics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Relativistic electron beams; relativistic electron beam; linear induction accelerator; free electron laser; submillimeter radiation range; subgigawatt pulses; coherent EM radiation
• ISSN: 1062-8738; 1934-9432
• DOI: 10.3103/S1062873822701763

A project for a submillimeter free electron laser (FEL) based on a relativistic electron beam (REB) generated in a linear induction accelerator (LIA) is proposed for the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences. A theoretical analysis shows that the electron beam generated in the LIA (energy MeV, current kA, normalized emittance ~ 1100 π mm mrad) is a suitable driver for generating subgigawatt pulses of coherent EM radiation in the submillimeter range of wavelengths (0.3–1 THz). The main proposals for developing a FEL based on the electron beam generated in a linear induction accelerator are presented, the main project tasks are outlined, and proposed ways of solving them are described. Results from electron-optical experiments on the formation of an electron beam intended for FEL applications are presented.