On Retardation Effects in Space Charge Calculations Of High Current Electron Beams

TL;DR

This paper discusses improved methods for calculating space charge effects in high-current electron beams from laser-plasma accelerators, emphasizing the importance of accurate retardation effect modeling to validate simulation approaches.

Contribution

It introduces a more accurate calculation method for retardation effects in space charge calculations, especially for laser wakefield acceleration, and aims to validate existing simulation techniques.

Findings

Neglecting retardation artifacts can lead to inaccuracies in space charge calculations.

The proposed mean rest frame calculation reduces artifacts in high-current electron beam simulations.

Validation of simulation approaches improves the reliability of beam dynamics predictions.

Abstract

Laser-plasma accelerators are expected to deliver electron bunches with high space charge fields. Several recent publications have addressed the impact of space charge effects on such bunches after the extraction into vacuum. Artifacts due to the approximation of retardation effects are addressed, which are typically either neglected or approximated. We discuss a much more appropriate calculation for the case of laser wakefield acceleration with negligible retardation artifacts due to the calculation performed in the mean rest frame. This presented calculation approach also aims at a validation of other simulation approaches.