Interaction of laser beams with relativistic electrons
Publisher: Naval Postgraduate School; Available from National Technical Information Service
Published: 1997
Place of publication: Monterey, Calif; Springfield, Va
Language: eng
Number of pages: 102
Description: Motivated by the desire to put a free electron laser (FEL) weapon on a ship, the FEL and the related process of Compton backscattering are studied. The theme of the majority of this work is the interaction of the Gaussian optical mode with a beam of relativistic electrons. Classical FEL theory is reviewed in Chapter II. Simulations based on the classical theory are used in Chapter III to study a proposed I kW (kilowatt) infrared FEL. In Chapter IV, simulation is used to study the problem of electron beam/optical mode overlap in an ultraviolet (UV) FEL. A new concept, the FEL with a short Rayleigh length, is sttidied in Chapter V. The idea is tested on the UV FEL, then used to design and simulate a megawatt-class FEL for ship self-defense. An analytical calculation of the Compton backscattering of laser light is performed in Chapter VI. A quantum electrodynamics (QED) formalism is used to find the spectrum and angular distribution of photons scattertd out of a Gaussian optical mode by relativistic electrons.
Notes: Dissertation supervisor, William B. Colson.

Thesis (Ph. D. in Physics)--Naval Postgraduate School, March 1997.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-101).

Also Available online.

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