Coherent synchrotron radiation and microbunching in bends
When a short electron bunch bends in a magnet, radiation from its tail catches up with its head and pushes on it, which can blur the beam or break it into tiny density ripples. Predicting these self-forces in three dimensions, and using them to make light on purpose, are open.
Why it matters
These self-forces limit how short and bright bunches can be made for x-ray FELs and low-emittance storage rings.
Review
K. L. F. Bane, Y. Cai, G. Stupakov, Threshold studies of the microwave instability in electron storage rings, Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTAB.13.104402 reference checked
See also
- Related What sets the uncorrelated energy spread of high-brightness electron beams?
- Related What mechanism produces coherent pulsar radio emission?
Timestamp record
- Signed record
- 5a86adf3ddd8…
- Public log
- Entry 65, in checkpoint 2,123
- In the log by
- Block 969,698, 2026-10-03
This text was in the PubPhys log by that date. The date says nothing about when the problem was first posed.