U.S. Particle Accelerator School
U.S. Particle Accelerator School
Education in Beam Physics and Accelerator Technology

Electromagnetic Radiation course

Sponsoring University:

MIT

Course:

Electromagnetic Radiation

Instructor:

Helmut Wiedemann, Stanford University

The course is aimed at students working one way or another on the production or use of radiation from relativistic particles and is designed to give a broad introduction to the physics of photon beams from relativistic electrons. A discussion of the physics of synchrotron radiation and characteristic radiation parameters from an intuitive point of view will be followed by an outline of a more quantitative theory of synchrotron radiation including spatial and spectral radiation distributions. Particle beam dynamics is introduced as it relates to the emission and optical quality of synchrotron radiation. Special attention is given to the relationship between magnet parameters for insertion devices (such as wiggler magnets and undulators) and photon beam characteristics (such as planar and elliptical polarization, time structure, spatial and temporal coherence etc.). In particular, the creation of subpicosecond electron bunches, emission of coherent far infrared radiation from such bunches and optical techniques to measure femtosecond electron bunches will be discussed. Finally the course will conclude with an introduction to free electron lasers, single pass FELs, ordinary and stimulated transition radiation, Cerenkov radiation, parametric radiation, Smith-Purcell etc. Text: "Particle Accelerator Physics", H. Wiedemann and lecture notes.