Trapping and Dark Current in Plasma-Based Accelerators

Journal Article · Tue Dec 07 04:00:00 EST 2004 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1842592· OSTI ID:20655253

Schroeder, C B; Esarey, E; Shadwick, B A; Leemans, W P ^[1]

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1. Center for Beam Physics, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720 (United States)

The trapping of thermal electrons in a nonlinear plasma wave of arbitrary phase velocity is investigated. The threshold plasma wave amplitude for trapping plasma electrons is calculated, thereby determining the fraction trapped and the expected dark current in a plasma-based accelerator. It is shown that the presence of a laser field (e.g., trapping in the self-modulated regime of the laser wakefield accelerator) increases the trapping threshold. Implications for experimental and numerical laser-plasma studies are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 20655253
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 737; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRONS
LASER RADIATION
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PHASE VELOCITY
PLASMA
PLASMA WAVES
TRAPPING
WAKEFIELD ACCELERATORS