Homogenization of an electron beam by scattering in an aluminum foil

The electron beam of the pulsed diode RKA (500 keV, 30 kA, 110 ns) is emitted by field emission. To measure its spatial homogeneity, we study the beam impact on a fused-silica target. The resulting Cerenkov emission is analyzed by cameras. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of the Monte Carlo code Geant4. This software was chosen for its robust physics package and its capability of simulating Cerenkov emission. The initial conditions of the electrons in Geant4 are provided by the “MAGIC” code. In addition, we have used a high speed gated camera and several interference filters to obtain the Cerenkov spectrum. A comparison with the theoretical spectrum calculated by the formula of Tamm and Frank is given.