Characteristic features of the amplification of short electromagnetic pulses during propagation along steady-state electron beams

Specific characteristics of the amplification of short electromagnetic pulses propagating along a steady-state nonequilibrium electron beam whose group velocity differs from the particle translational velocity are studied. It is shown that as a result of one of the pulse leading edges being continuously supplied with electrons having no initial modulation, a high level of amplitude is achieved, substantially exceeding the saturation level for the amplification of quasisteady-state signals. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7850(99)00212-8].