Plasma Wakefield Acceleration with a Modulated Proton Bunch

TL;DR

This paper investigates plasma wakefield acceleration driven by modulated proton bunches, demonstrating high electric fields and potential for multi-TeV electron acceleration using existing proton accelerator parameters.

Contribution

It derives and verifies scaling laws for wakefield amplitudes with proton bunches, showing feasibility of high-gradient acceleration with current technology.

Findings

Achieved electric fields up to 1 GV/m with LHC proton bunches.

Predicted electron energy gains exceeding 6 TeV.

Validated scaling laws through detailed simulations.

Abstract

The plasma wakefield amplitudes which could be achieved via the modulation of a long proton bunch are investigated. We find that in the limit of long bunches compared to the plasma wavelength, the strength of the accelerating fields is directly proportional to the number of particles in the drive bunch and inversely proportional to the square of the transverse bunch size. The scaling laws were tested and verified in detailed simulations using parameters of existing proton accelerators, and large electric fields were achieved, reaching 1 GV/m for LHC bunches. Energy gains for test electrons beyond 6 TeV were found in this case.