Nonlinear Effects in Generation of Radiation by Relativistic Electron Beams in One-Dimensional Periodic Structures

Abstract

Nonlinear processes can significantly influence the operation of different types of electromagnetic radiation sources driven by intense relativistic electron beams. This paper considers the transfer from a chaotic to a single-frequency regime of generation by the example of radiation sources, driven by the relativistic beams moving in one-dimensional periodic structures. It is shown that by shifting the operating point of generation close to the upper end of a passband wave and using the adjustable feedback reflector for a backward wave, one can suppress the parasitic generation waves and obtain a single-mode oscillation. As a result, the radiation power significantly increases compared to the case of a chaotic regime of generation. The experimental results presented in this paper demonstrate such an increase of the radiation power in relativistic backward wave oscillators.