Theory and experiments on the generation of spontaneous emission using a plasma wave undulator: a progress report

The feasibility of using relativistically moving plasma waves as short wavelength undulators for possible free-electron laser (FEL) and Compton scattering applications is considered. Focus is placed on the spontaneous emission emitted by a single electron bunch as it traverses a plasma wave wiggler. The basic characteristics of the radiation from such a wiggler are discussed, and attention is given to the wave-particle interaction physics. The electron trajectories in the plasma wave wiggler are simulated using a three-dimensional model which includes emittance effects, and the resulting radiation pattern produced by the electrons is calculated. The scattered-electron energies and spatial distributions are analyzed.