Pre-wave zone studies of Coherent Transition and Diffraction Radiation

Advanced accelerator technology, based on plasma structures, requires high brightness electron beams, which can be used also to drive advanced radiation sources. Indeed, electron beams to be injected into the plasma and accelerated in the plasma channel are characterized by small transverse size and ultra-short time duration, allowing the production of coherent radiation in the THz range. In the present work we report both theoretical and experimental studies on the spatial/angular distribution of Coherent Transition and Diffraction Radiation in the pre-wave zone.