Dispersion Equation for Smith-Purcell FEL

Abstract

For the grating, which has depth of grooves as a small parameter, the dispersion equation of the Smith-Purcell instability was obtained. It was found that the condition of the Thompson or the Raman regimes of excitation does not depend on beam current but depends on the height of the beam above grating surface. The growth rate of instability in both cases is proportional to the square root of the electron beam current.