Mode analysis of a dielectric-loaded Raman-type free-electron laser

The Raman-type free-electron laser consists of a relativistic electron beam contained in a dielectric-induced parallel plate waveguide and an array of permanent magnets for the wiggler. Under the influence of the periodic magnetostatic field, the coupling between the scattered electromagnetic wave of the TE mode (positive-energy wave) and the electron plasma wave of the TM mode (negative-energy wave) is investigated in detail. The following results are obtained. First, when a dielectric sheet is loaded on the waveguide, the maximum growth rate and the oscillation frequency can be greater than those for the vacuum Raman-type free-electron laser. Second, by choosing proper values for the relative permittivity of the dielectric sheet and the ratio of the beam guide, the beam energy can be greatly lowered without degrading the oscillation characteristics. Third, the growth rate decays exponentially with the oscillation frequency kept almost constant as the beam-dielectric gap increases