Pulsed Power and Spectrum Composition of the Terahertz Radiation Flux Escaping from a Plasma Column Due to Propagation Through it of a Relativistic Electron Beam with Various Current Densities (GOL–PET Facility Experiments)

Abstract

One of the possible applications of high-current relativistic electron beams (REBs) is to generate electromagnetic waves at plasma frequencies due to the propagation of a beam through a magnetized plasma column. Research work in this direction, aimed at creating terahertz radiation sources at the BINP, is underway using the GOL–PET facility. We study the relaxation of a REB beam with a current density of (1–2) kA/cm² in a magnetized plasma column with a density of 5 · 10¹⁴ cm^–3. The purpose of these studies is to create a pulse radiation source with a power of tens of megawatts in the frequency range 0.1–1 THz. To date, a radiation flux with a power level of 10 MW and a maximum power spectral density in the frequency range 150–200 GHz has been achieved in the experiments. Further progress in these studies was related to the experimental establishment of the dependence of the power and spectral composition of the radiation flux on the parameters of the injected beam, in particular, its current density. The current density of the injected beam was varied due to the different compression of the beam cross section by the magnetic field. The results of measuring the characteristics of the radiation flux are presented in correlation with the results of measurements of the beam current density and plasma density.