Three-dimensional nonlinear efficiency enhancement analysis in free-electron laser amplifier with prebunched electron beam and ion-channel guiding

Efficiency enhancement in free-electron laser is studied by three-dimensional and nonlinear simulation using tapered helical wiggler magnetic field or tapered ion-channel density. In order to reduce the saturation length, prebunched electron beam is used. A set of nonlinear and coupled differential equations are derived that provides the self-consistent description of the evolution of both an ensemble of electrons and the electromagnetic radiation. These equations are solved numerically to show that the combined effect of tapering and prebunching results in significant enhancement of power and considerable reduction of the saturation length. To have a deeper insight into the problem, an analytical treatment is also presented that uses the small signal theory to derive a modified pendulum equation.