Simulations and plans for possible DLA experiments at SINBAD

TL;DR

This paper outlines potential dielectric laser acceleration experiments at SINBAD using ultra-short electron bunches, including plans for phase-synchronous microbunch trains, supported by simulation results.

Contribution

It presents the experimental plans and simulation results for DLA of relativistic electron bunches at SINBAD, including microbunch train acceleration techniques.

Findings

Successful simulation of electron acceleration in dielectric gratings.

Feasibility of phase-synchronous microbunch acceleration.

Potential for high-gradient laser-driven acceleration.

Abstract

In this work we present the outlines of possible experiments for dielectric laser acceleration (DLA) of ultra-short relativistic electron bunches produced by the ARES linac, currently under construction at the SINBAD facility (DESY Hamburg). The experiments are to be performed as part of the Accelerator on a Chip International Program (ACHIP), funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. At SINBAD we plan to test the acceleration of already pre-accelerated relativistic electron bunches in laser-illuminated dielectric grating structures. We present outlines of both the acceleration of ultra-short single bunches, as well as the option to accelerate phase-synchronous sub-fs microbunch trains. Here the electron bunch is conditioned prior to the injection by interaction with an external laser field in an undulator. This generates a sinusoidal energy modulation that is transformed into periodic microbunches in a subsequent chicane. The phase synchronization is achieved by driving both the modulation process and the DLA with the same laser pulse. In addition to the conceptual layouts and plans of the experiments we present start-to-end simulation results for different ARES working points.