Microwave-induced control of Free Electron Laser radiation

The dynamical response of a relativistic bunch of electrons injected in a planar magnetic undulator and interacting with a counterpropagating electromagnetic wave is studied. We demonstrate a resonance condition for which the free electron laser (FEL) dynamics is strongly influenced by the presence of the external field. It opens up the possibility of control of short wavelength FEL emission characteristics by changing the parameters of the microwave field without requiring change in the undulator's geometry or configuration. Numerical examples, assuming realistic parameter values analogous to those of the TTF-FEL, currently under development at DESY, are given for possible control of the amplitude or the polarization of the emitted radiation.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.