Interaction of a relativistic electron beam with a spiral waveguide

The nonlinear period in the interaction of a relativistic electron beam (REB) with an electromagnetic wave in a spiral waveguide at the stage of saturation is investigated for a Cherenkov interaction mechanism. On the basis of the kinetic equation and laws of energy and momentum conservation, analytical relations are obtained, allowing the efficiency of excitation and amplification of the electromagnetic wave to be studied using REB in a retarding structure. The results of the analysis are in good agreement with the data of actual and numerical experiments.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, pp. 31–36, May, 1988.It remains to thank É. A. Perel'shtein, Yu. I. Aleksakhin, and their colleagues for discussion of the results.