Simulation of plasma loading of high-pressure RF cavities

TL;DR

This paper presents numerical simulations of plasma loading effects in high-pressure hydrogen RF cavities doped with dry air, relevant for muon cooling channels, incorporating detailed atomic physics processes.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive simulation framework for plasma loading in high-pressure RF cavities with detailed atomic physics modeling.

Findings

Plasma loading effects depend on gas composition and pressure.

Simulations match experimental data for muon cooling applications.

Electron attachment and recombination significantly influence plasma dynamics.

Abstract

Muon beam-induced plasma loading of radio-frequency (RF) cavities filled with high pressure hydrogen gas with 1% dry air dopant has been studied via numerical simulations. The electromagnetic code SPACE, that resolves relevant atomic physics processes, including ionization by the muon beam, electron attachment to dopant molecules, and electron-ion and ion-ion recombination, has been used. Simulations studies have been performed in the range of parameters typical for practical muon cooling channels.