Plasma Lens for Us Based Super Neutrino Beam at Either FNAL or BNL

TL;DR

This paper explores plasma lenses as an innovative alternative to traditional focusing methods in neutrino beam facilities, demonstrating potential for increased neutrino flux and reduced background noise through simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel plasma lens configuration for neutrino beam focusing, showing improved flux and background reduction over conventional systems.

Findings

25% higher neutrino flux at 3 km compared to horn system

Neutrino background reduced by nearly 3 times in antineutrino mode

Factor of 2.5 higher flux for neutrinos above 3 GeV

Abstract

The plasma lens concept is examined as an alternative to focusing horns and solenoids for a neutrino beam facility. The concept is based on a combined high-current lens/target configuration. Current is fed at an electrode located downstream from the beginning of the target where pion capturing is needed. The current is carried by plasma outside the target. A second plasma lens section, with an additional current feed, follows the target. The plasma is immersed in a relatively small solenoidal magnetic field to facilitate its current profile shaping to optimize pion capture. Simulations of the not yet fully optimized configuration yielded a 25% higher neutrino flux at a detector situated at 3 km from the target than the horn system for the entire energy spectrum and a factor of 2.5 higher flux for neutrinos with energy larger than 3 GeV. A major advantage of plasma lenses is in background reduction. In antineutrino operation, neutrino background is reduced by a factor of close to 3 for the whole spectrum, and for energy larger than 3 GeV, neutrino background is reduced by a factor of 3.6. Plasma lenses have additional advantages: larger axial currents, high signal purity: minimal neutrino background in antineutrino runs. The lens medium consists of plasma, consequently, particle absorption and scattering is negligible. Withstanding high mechanical and thermal stresses in a plasma is not an issue.