Relativistic reference frame PIC simulations for electron beam dynamics with meter-scale propagation inside plasma and under external fields

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel relativistic reference frame PIC simulation code that enables high-resolution, meter-scale plasma and electron beam simulations efficiently, reducing computational resources needed.

Contribution

The authors develop a new PIC simulation method leveraging relativistic effects to perform long, high-resolution simulations without supercomputers, improving upon previous approaches.

Findings

Successful simulation of electron beam bunching in long undulators

Demonstrated potential for plasma-based beam bunching over tens of centimeters

Achieved high-resolution, meter-scale simulations with reduced computational resources

Abstract

Particle in cell simulations are widely used in most fields of physics to investigate known and new phenomena which cannot be directly observed or measured yet. However, the computational and time resources needed for PICs make them impractical when high resolution and long time/distance simulations are required. In this work, we present a new PIC simulation code that takes advantage of the use of a relativistic reference frame and consequent time dilation and length contraction. These properties make a simulation capable of long (meter length) and high resolution simulations without the need of supercomputers. This new code is a step forward with regards to the previous tries enabling complex multiple body situations without additional filtering and smoothing of fields and currents. The usefulness of the relativistic frame PIC code is displayed by simulating electron beam bunching obtained in long undulator propagation and also the potential as a beam "buncher" of 10s of cm long low density plasmas.