Coherent radiation at the fundamental frequency by a Smith-Purcell free-electron laser with dielectric substrate

Abstract

This letter reports an approach to realize coherent radiation at the fundamental frequency of the wave that is resonant with the electron beam in a Smith-Purcell (SP) free-electron laser (FEL). We found that a two-dimensional grating structure equipped with a dielectric substrate could provide an electromagnetic mode which shows the property of a surface wave in the vacuum region where the beam-wave interaction occurs, and operates as a radiative wave in the dielectric region. Thus, an electron beam holding medium energy resonant with the mode could radiate at the fundamental frequency, which is different from the typical Smith-Purcell free-electron laser that radiates only at harmonics of the resonant frequency.