Design and simulation of capillary discharge plasmas for next generation plasma wakefield accelerators
Fundamental improvements to the energy, brightness, and stability of lepton beams from next generation plasma-based accelerators are essential to maintain rapid innovation and scientific productivity within the field of advanced accelerators. Controllable plasma channels are integral to meeting the demands for laser- and beam-plasma accelerators, including proposed positron-driven wakefield acceleration schemes. Achieving these goals requires fundamental improvements in the understanding, design, and operation of these plasmas. Capillary discharge plasmas promise tailored plasma profiles for both laser- and beam-driven wakefield accelerator sources, while also serving as compact, efficient lenses for beam transport. However, improved modeling tools are required to advance the technology to the next level. There are few magnetohydrodynamic codes with the geometry support needed to model these capillaries, and those which are available to the accelerator community have a steep learning curve and are untested for these applications. We proposed to develop tools for high-fidelity simulations of capillary discharge plasmas using the publicly available radiation hydrodynamics software FLASH [5]. Our efforts are designed to validate FLASH’s capabilities for modeling capillary discharge plasmas across a range of applications, while also developing a browser-based interface to remove barriers to entry for non-experts. During Phase II, we have developed three-dimensional simulations of discharge capillary plasmas with embedded boundaries using the FLASH software. Our software enables a robust description of capillary structures, including representations of inflows and outflows, flexible specification of gas and wall constituent species, and the import of time-dependent discharge current profiles. They also allow for the specification of laser energy deposition for manipulating plasma channels within the capillary. We then developed and tested state-of-the-art transport models for our capillary applications, and determined their use to enhance the fidelity of magnetic field and temperature dynamics within the capillary structure. Our simulations show very good agreement with published models and recent experiments. We have presented the results of this work to a broad audience of accelerator and plasma physicists, and have published results in peer reviewed publications. To simplify the use of the FLASH code by the community, we developed a browser-based interface to the FLASH software built atop RadiaSoft’s Sirepo scientific computing platform. Authorized users may design, execute, and analyze FLASH simulations, including three-dimensional capillary discharges, via this interface, either using RadiaSoft resources, their own cluster, or through the deployment of images at DOE’s NERSC high performance computing facility. For expert users, the interface provides tools to configure new FLASH simulations via specification of setup parameter and the upload of problem-specific support files.
- Research Organization:
- RadiaSoft, LLC, Boulder, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0018719
- OSTI ID:
- 1887493
- Type / Phase:
- SBIR (Phase II)
- Report Number(s):
- DOE_RadiaSoft_18719_PhII_Final_Report
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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