Energy-gain measurements from a microwave inverse free-electron-laser accelerator

Experiments are reported on inverse free-electron-laser acceleration, including for the first time observations of the energy change as a function of relative injection phase of the electron bunches. The microwave accelerating structure consists of a uniform circular waveguide with a helical wiggler and an axial magnetic field. Acceleration of the entire beam by 6% is seen for 6 MeV electron bunches at optimum relative phase. Experimental results compare favorably, for accelerating phases, with predictions of a three-dimensional simulation that includes large-orbit effects.