Accelerator-based terahertz (THz) radiation has been expected to realize a high-power broadband source. Employing a low-emittance and short-bunch electron beam at a high repetition rate, a scheme of coherent diffraction-radiation in an optical cavity layout is proposed. The schemes stimulated radiation process between bunches can greatly enhance the efficiency of the radiation emission. We performed an experiment with a superconducting linac constructed as an energy recovery linac (ERL) test facility. The electron beam passes through small holes in the cavity mirrors without being destroyed. A sharp THz resonance signal, which indicates broadband stimulated radiation correlated with beam deceleration, was observed while scanning the round-trip length of the cavity. This observation proves the efficient beam-to-radiation energy conversion due to the stimulated radiation process.
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