Stimulated Raman scattering by an intense relativistic electron beam in a long rippled magnetic field

For the first time, the parametric coupling of the negative-energy cyclotron and space-charge modes to a fast coaxial waveguide structure is observed. The coaxial waveguide smooth center conductor is internally loaded to maintain a 5% ripple of 1.4-, 1.6-, or 2.0-cm periods on the background axial magnetic field throughout the interaction region of 70 cm. The parametric coupling may be considered a stimulated scattering process with the rippled magnetic field of zero frequency in the lab frame appearing as an electromagnetic pump wave in the beam frame, with 30-MW/cm² power density imparting to the electrons a quiver velocity Vₒₛ0.1c. As predicted by theory, the frequency of the microwave radiation generated by the negative-energy cyclotron mode decreases with increasing magnetic field while remaining constant for the negative-energy space-charge mode. Power levels from 1 to 5 MW have been measured at mm and cm wavelengths. Radiation at frequencies of 2γ²VL, where V and L are the beam velocity and ripple period, respectively, has been observed at high magnetic fields with an exponential-growth rate consistent with parametric coupling theory. This mechanism could be employed as a tunable generator of millimeter and submillimeter wavelength radiation.