a Comparison of Relativistic Electron Beam Propagation Characteristics with Theory and Simulation.

Relativistic electron beams are most often modeled using sophisticated computer codes which are capable of describing the beam in the drift region but may not be able to fully characterize the beam. A covariant formulation of electron beam equilibrium is described which allows a more complete description of the beam in various reference frames once certain parameters are known, either from computer simulation or experimental measurement. The theoretical formulation may also be used to provide feedback to the simulation code to allow improved diode design. In the research, a covariant formulation of relativistic electron beam equilibrium was developed and used to model the experimental configuration being studied. Computer simulation was also used to characterize the beam and to compare with the predictions of the theoretical model. Experimental diagnostics were developed and measurements were made for comparison with the code results and to test the consistency of the theoretical formulation.