Nonlinear analysis of wiggler taper, node competition, and space-charge effects for a 280-GHz free electron laser

The nonlinear characteristics of a 280-GHz free electron laser (FEL) are simulated by numerical computation. The three-dimensional set of coupled nonlinear differential equations is solved for a set of TE and TM modes valid for the high gain Compton regime. The use of a nonlinear taper for efficiency enhancement, the sensitivity of gain to competing mode power levels, space-charge effects, and the effect of electron beam source distributions on gain and efficiency are examined for a 10-MeV, 3-kA beam. It is found that the nonlinear taper greatly enhances the gain and efficiency and makes the saturation power levels relatively insensitive to the competing mode power levels. The efficiency is increased to 48% by means of a nonlinear taper in which the 3-D and wiggler-averaged codes are compared and the effects of space charge are found to reduce the efficiency to a level of 32%. The effect of beam quality in terms of the four volume phase space is examined and found to have an observable effect at this wavelength.<
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