Preface

Summary

Under the rubric of synchrotron radiation we understand the electromagnetic waves emitted by a charge moving with relativistic velocity and undergoing a transverse acceleration. It is characterized by a small opening angle and a high frequency caused by the velocity of the charge being close to that of light. Owing to the relatively simple motion of the charge, the radiation has clear polarization properties. Ordinary synchrotron radiation is emitted by a charge moving on a circular arc determined by a deflecting magnetic field. It has a broad spectrum, a typical frequency being γ³ times higher than the Larmor frequency of the charge. This spectrum can be modified by varying the curvature of the trajectory 1/ρ within a distance smaller than the formation length of the radiation, as is realized in undulators.

Synchrotron radiation has been investigated theoretically for over a century and experimentally for about half this time. Thanks to its unique properties, this radiation has become a research tool for many fields of science and electron-storage rings serving as radiation sources are spread over the whole globe.

This book tries to explain synchrotron radiation from basic principles and to derive its main properties. It is divided into four parts. First the general case of the electromagnetic fields created by an accelerated relativistic charge is investigated.