Collective and single-electron interactions of electron beams with electromagnetic waves, and free-electron lasers

The field of radiation emission from electron beams is reviewed with special reference to work related to free-electron lasers. Different schemes of interaction in periodic structures, electromagnetic slow-wave structures, and in transverse confining force are distinguished. Various effects and devices such as traveling wave amplifiers, Smith-Purcell radiators, Cerenkov and bremsstrahlung-free electron lasers, cyclotron resonance masers, coherent bremsstrahlung and channeling radiation are discussed and the differences and relations among them are explained. A simple comprehensive model is developed to describe electron-beam interaction with an electromagnetic wave in periodic electromagnetic structures. The model is general enough to describe both collective and single-electron modes of interaction and quantum mechanical, classical and Fermi degenerate regimes. Simplified expressions are developed for the gain by stimulated emission of radiation and for gain conditions of the Smith-Purcell-Cerenkov type free-electron lasers under conditions of very thin electron beams and infinite interaction length.