THz-radiation production using dispersively-selected flat electron bunches

Abstract

We propose an alternative scheme for a tunable THz radiation source generated by relativistic electron bunches. This technique relies on the combination of dispersive selection and flat electron bunch. The dispersive selection uses a slit mask inside a bunch compressor to transform the energy-chirped electron beam into a bunch train. The flat beam transformation boosts the frequency range of the THz source by reducing the beam emittance in one plane. This technique generates narrow-band THz radiation with a tuning range between 0.2 - 4 THz. Single frequency THz spectrum can also be generated by properly choosing the slit spacing, slit width, and the energy chirp.