Possibility of obtaining coherent radiation from a solid state undulator

S. A. Bogacz*, J. B. Ketterson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

The idea of using a crystal lattice or a superlattice as an undulator for a free electron laser is explored. A purely classical treatment of relativistic positrons channeling through the proposed structure is performed in a self-consistent fashion involving the wave equation for the radiating electromagnetic field and the kinetic equation for the positron distribution function. The (positive) gain coefficient for a forward radiating field is obtained in closed form. Matching the Kumakhov channeling resonance to the undulator frequency further enhances the gain. This result, combined with a feedback mechanism arising from Bragg diffraction within the basic crystal lattice, leads to an instability of the radiation inside the crystal. A simple threshold condition involving the atomic scattering factor and the net gain is formulated. Finally, a numerical estimate of the Kumakhov-enhanced gain coefficient is made for the (110) planar channeling in a strain-modulated Si superlattice.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)177-188
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Applied Physics
Volume60
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1986

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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