Interference of diffraction and transition radiation and its application as a beam divergen.pdf

Interference of diffraction and transition radiation and its application as a beam divergence diagnostic R. B. Fiorito and A.G. Shkvarunets IREAP, University of Maryland, College Park, MD T. Watanabe and V. Yakimenko ATF, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY D. Snyder Dept. of Physics, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA Abstract We have observed the interference of optical diffraction radiation (ODR) and optical transition radiation (OTR) produced by the interaction of a relativistic electron beam with a micromesh foil and a mirror. The production of forward directed ODR from electrons passing through the holes and wires of the mesh and their separate interactions with backward OTR from the mirror are analyzed with the help of a simulation code. By careful choice of the micromesh properties, mesh-mirror spacing, observation wavelength and filter band pass, the interference of the ODR produced from the unperturbed electrons passing through the open spaces of the mesh and OTR from the mirror are observable above a broad incoherent background from interaction of the heavily scattered electrons passing through the mesh wires. These interferences (ODTRI) are sensitive to the beam divergence and can be used to directly diagnose this parameter. We compare experimental divergence values obtained using ODTRI, conventional OTRI, for the case when front foil scattering is negligible, and computed values obtained from transport code calculations and multiple screen beam size measurements. We obtain good agreement in all cases. Introduction The term ‘diffraction radiation’ is commonly used to describe the radiation produced when a charged particle moving at a constant velocity passes near, but does not intercept, a material whose dielectric constant differs from the medium in which the particle is traveling [1]. This radiation is caused by a rapid change in the induced polarization of the impacted medium caused by the t