Plasma Light As Diagnostic For Wakefields Driven By Developing Self-Modulation Of A Long Particle Bunch

TL;DR

This paper proposes using plasma light emission as a diagnostic tool to measure wakefields generated by self-modulating long proton bunches in plasma, with a new plasma source design enabling density step control.

Contribution

It introduces a novel diagnostic method based on plasma light emission and a plasma source design that allows for controlled density steps to enhance wakefield generation.

Findings

Plasma light emission can serve as an effective diagnostic for wakefields.

Imposing plasma density steps can significantly increase wakefield amplitudes.

Numerical simulations predict GV/m level wakefields with density step implementation.

Abstract

We outline plans to use plasma light emitted as atomic lines radiation as a diagnostic for wakefields driven in plasma by a self-modulating, long proton bunch. This diagnostic is built into the design of a new vapor/plasma source that will also allow for imposing a plasma density step of various height at various locations. Such a step of a few percent in relative density placed at a location where the self-modulation process grows is predicted by numerical simulations to make the bunch drive wakefields with GV/m amplitude over hundreds of meters of plasma.