Simulation of Smith-Purcell terahertz radiation using a particle-in-cell code

Abstract

A simulation of the generation of Smith-Purcell (SP) radiation at terahertz frequencies has been performed using the two-dimensional particle-in-cell code MAGIC. The simulation supposes that a thin (but infinitely wide) monoenergetic electron beam passes over a diffraction grating. We simulate two configurations, one similar to the Dartmouth SP free-electron laser, with a low-energy continuous beam (we use an axial magnetic field to constrain the electrons to essentially one-dimensional motion). The other is similar to the recent MIT experiment that uses a prebunched 15 MeV beam.