Philip Burrows

Abstract:

Plasma wakefield dynamics over timescales up to 800 ps, approximately 100 plasma periods, are studied experimentally at the Advanced Wakefield Experiment (AWAKE). The development of the longitudinal wakefield amplitude driven by a self-modulated proton bunch is measured using the external injection of witness electrons that sample the fields. In simulation, resonant excitation of the wakefield causes plasma electron trajectory crossing, resulting in the development of a potential outside the plasma boundary as electrons are transversely ejected. Trends consistent with the presence of this potential are experimentally measured and their dependence on wakefield amplitude are studied via seed laser timing scans and electron injection delay scans.

Abstract:

The ATF2 beamline at KEK was built to validate the operating principle of a novel final-focus scheme devised to demagnify high-energy beams in future linear lepton colliders; to date vertical beam sizes as small as 41 nm have been demonstrated. However, this could only be achieved with an electron bunch intensity $$10% of nominal, and it has been found that wakefield effects limit the beam size for bunch charges approaching the design value of 10 10 e − . We present studies of the impact of wakefields on the production of `nanobeams’ at the ATF2. Wake potentials were evaluated for the ATF2 beamline elements and incorporated into a realistic transport simulation of the beam. The effects of both static (component misalignments and rolls, magnet strength errors and BPM resolution) and dynamic (position and angle jitter) imperfections were included and their effects on the beam size evaluated. Mitigation techniques were developed and applied, including orbit correction, dispersion-free steering, wakefield-free steering, and IP tuning knobs. Explicit correction knobs to compensate for wakefield effects were studied and applied, and found to significantly decrease the intensity-dependence of the beam size.

Abstract:

There is an increasing need to shield beams and accelerator elements from stray magnetic fields. The application of magnetic shielding in linear colliders is discussed. The shielding performance of soft iron and mu-metal is measured for magnetic fields of varying amplitude and frequency. Special attention is given to characterise the shielding performance for very small-amplitude magnetic fields.

Abstract:

We study experimentally the effect of linear plasma density gradients on the self-modulation of a 400 GeV proton bunch. Results show that a positive or negative gradient increases or decreases the number of microbunches and the relative charge per microbunch observed after 10 m of plasma. The measured modulation frequency also increases or decreases. With the largest positive gradient we observe two frequencies in the modulation power spectrum. Results are consistent with changes in wakefields’ phase velocity due to plasma density gradients adding to the slow wakefields’ phase velocity during self-modulation growth predicted by linear theory.

Abstract:

The design of a primary electron beam facility at CERN is described. The study has been carried out within the framework of the wider Physics Beyond Colliders study. It re-enables the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) as an electron accelerator, and leverages the development invested in Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) technology for its injector and as an accelerator research and development infrastructure. The facility would be relevant for several of the key priorities in the 2020 update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics, such as an electron-positron Higgs factory, accelerator R&D, dark sector physics, and neutrino physics. In addition, it could serve experiments in nuclear physics. The electron beam delivered by this facility would provide access to light dark matter production significantly beyond the targets predicted by a thermal dark matter origin, and for natures of dark matter particles that are not accessible by direct detection experiments. It would also enable electro-nuclear measurements crucial for precise modelling the energy dependence of neutrino-nucleus interactions, which is needed to precisely measure neutrino oscillations as a function of energy. The implementation of the facility is the natural next step in the development of X-band high-gradient acceleration technology, a key technology for compact and cost-effective electron/positron linacs. It would also become the only facility with multi-GeV drive bunches and truly independent electron witness bunches for plasma wakefield acceleration. A second phase capable to deliver positron witness bunches would make it a complete facility for plasma wakefield collider studies.
The facility would be used for the development and studies of a large number of components and phenomena for a future electron-positron Higgs and electroweak factory as the first stage of a next circular collider at CERN, and its cavities in the SPS would be the same type as foreseen for such a future collider. The operation of the SPS with electrons would train a new generation of CERN staff on circular electron accelerators. The facility could start operation in about five years, and would operate in parallel and without interference with Run 4 of the LHC.