Problems in the relativistic theory of microwave plasma electronics

A review is presented of the theoretical studies on Hide-band microwave sources employing the stimulated Cherenkov radiation of relativistic electron beams in a plasma waveguide, The motivation for such studies lies in recent experiments on microwave plasma noise sources using intense relativistic electron beams. Although only theoretical problems are discussed, all necessary estimates are obtained using parameter values taken from actual General Physics Institute experiments, in part already published. A very incomplete preliminary comparison of theoretical and experimental results is given.