Proposal Number: ECS-9617089 Principal Investigator: Christopher Clayton Title: Beam-Plasma Experiments with Picosecond Relativistic Electron Bunches This research will utilize very recent advances in photoinjector electron source development to study ultrafast relativistic electron bunch/ plasma interactions in previously inaccessible regimes. A laser-driven photocathode in combination with a high-gradient, radio frequency (RF) accelerator is used to produce an ultrashort (4 picoseconds), high current (Ipeak > 1 kAmp), relativistic (g > 20 which g is the relativistic Lorentz factor) intense electron bunch, which then interacts with a pre-formed discharge plasma. Previous experiments have been limited to electron beam bunches of tens of nanoseconds and energies of less than 1 MeV. The research will focus on two applications: (1) focusing of a relativistic electron beam by an underdense plasma lens and (2) excitation of plasma wakefields for particle acceleration. Graduate and undergraduate student involvement is explicitly planned and will provide valuable training for students in fast optics, high power optics, plasma physics and beam physics.
