Planar Orotron: a Tunable, Grating-Based Free Electron Laser
Abstract
A compact, coherent and tunable source of mm wavelength radiation has been developed. In the device a periodic, rectangular, metallic grating is used as a slow wave structure, in an electron beam driven open resonator. Methods of optimizing grating and electron beam parameters, in order to achieve high frequency, a broad tuning range, high gain and maximum output power are discussed. Experiments performed with several gratings produced radiation from 28 to 100 GHz. Beam voltages were less than 20 kV. The highest output power achieved is 5 kWatts and the highest efficiency recorded is 7%. Based on the general theory developed and its agreement with the experimental observations in the mm wavelength range, the possibility of producing coherent radiation from microwave to visible wavelengths with structures of this type are considered.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- September 1987
- Bibcode:
- 1987PhDT.......110P
- Keywords:
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- LASER;
- Physics: Fluid and Plasma; Engineering: Electronics and Electrical