TeV/m Nano-Accelerator: Investigation on Feasibility of CNT-Channeling Acceleration at Fermilab

TL;DR

This paper explores the feasibility of using carbon nanotube channels for high-gradient particle acceleration, aiming to improve collider technology by leveraging nano-structured materials' unique properties.

Contribution

It investigates the potential of CNT-based nano-channels for high-gradient acceleration, addressing limitations of natural crystal channels in high-power beam applications.

Findings

CNT channels can potentially sustain higher thermal loads.

Nano-channels accept larger phase-space volumes.

Preliminary results indicate promising acceleration capabilities.

Abstract

The development of high gradient acceleration and tight phase-space control of high power beams is a key element for future lepton and hadron colliders since the increasing demands for higher energy and luminosity significantly raise costs of modern HEP facilities. Atomic channels in crystals are known to consist of 10 -- 100 V/{\AA} potential barriers capable of guiding and collimating a high energy beam providing continuously focused acceleration with exceptionally high gradients (TeV/m). However, channels in natural crystals are only angstrom-size and physically vulnerable to high energy interactions, which has prevented crystals from being applied to high power accelerators. Carbon-based nano-crystals such as carbon-nanotubes (CNTs) and graphenes have a large degree of dimensional flexibility and thermo-mechanical strength, which could be suitable for channeling acceleration of MW beams. Nano-channels of the synthetic crystals can accept a few orders of magnitude larger phase-space volume of channeled particles with much higher thermal tolerance than natural crystals. This paper presents the current status of CNT-channeling acceleration research at the Advanced Superconducting Test Accelerator (ASTA) in Fermilab.