External Electron Injection for the AWAKE Experiment

TL;DR

This paper details the process of injecting electrons into plasma wakefields driven by proton bunches in the AWAKE experiment, demonstrating a method for particle acceleration using proton-driven wakefield technology.

Contribution

It presents the first implementation and explanation of witness electron injection into proton-driven plasma wakefields in the AWAKE experiment, highlighting experimental challenges and future plans.

Findings

Successful injection of 10-20 MeV electrons into wakefields

Demonstration of proton-driven plasma wakefield acceleration

Identification of key experimental challenges

Abstract

We summarize and explain the realization of witness particle injection into wakefields for the AWAKE experiment. In AWAKE, the plasma wakefields are driven by a self-modulating relativistic proton bunch. To demonstrate that these wakefields can accelerate charged particles, we inject a \unit[10-20]{MeV} electron bunch produced by a photo-injector. We summarize the experimental challenges of this injection process and present our plans for the near future.