CSR Fields: Direct Numerical Solution of the Maxwell___s Equation

We discuss the properties of the coherent electromagnetic fields of a very short, ultra-relativistic bunch in a rectangular vacuum chamber inside a bending magnet. The analysis is based on the results of a direct numerical solution of Maxwell's equations together with Newton's equations. We use a new dispersion-free time-domain algorithm which employs a more efficient use of finite element mesh techniques and hence produces self-consistent and stable solutions for very short bunches. We investigate the fine structure of the CSR fields including coherent edge radiation. This approach should be useful in the study of existing and future concepts of particle accelerators and ultrafast coherent light sources. The coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) fields have a strong action on the beam dynamics of very short bunches, which are moving in the bends of all kinds of magnetic elements. They are responsible for additional energy loss and energy spread; micro bunching and beam emittance growth. These fields may bound the efficiency of damping rings, electron-positron colliders and ultrafast coherent light sources, where high peak currents and very short bunches are envisioned. This is relevant to most high-brightness beam applications. On the other hand these fields together with transition radiation fields can be used for beam diagnostics or even as a powerful resource of THz radiation. A history of the study of CSR and a good collection of references can be found in [1]. Electromagnetic theory suggests several methods on how to calculate CSR fields. The most popular method is to use Lienard-Wiechert potentials. Other approach is to solve numerically the approximate equations, which are a Schrodinger type equation. These numerical methods are described in [2]. We suggest that a direct solution of Maxwell's equations together with Newton's equations can describe the detailed structure of the CSR fields [3]