Experimental demonstration of wakefield effects in a THz planar diamond accelerating structure

TL;DR

This paper reports the first experimental measurement of THz wakefields in a diamond-based accelerating structure, demonstrating its potential for high-gradient particle acceleration using wakefield effects.

Contribution

It provides the first direct experimental evidence of wakefield effects in a diamond loaded structure, highlighting diamond's suitability for high-gradient acceleration.

Findings

Successful measurement of THz wakefields in diamond structure

Evidence of energy transfer from drive to witness bunch

Validation of diamond's high breakdown threshold for acceleration

Abstract

We have directly measured THz wakefields induced by a subpicosecond, intense relativistic electron bunch in a diamond loaded accelerating structure via the wakefield acceleration method. We present here the beam test results from the first diamond based structure. Diamond has been chosen for its high breakdown threshold and unique thermoconductive properties. Fields produced by a leading (drive) beam were used to accelerate a trailing (witness) electron bunch which followed the drive bunch at a variable distance. The energy gain of a witness bunch as a function of its separation from the drive bunch describes the time structure of the generated wakefield.