High Frequency, High Gradient Dielectric Wakefield Acceleration Experiments at SLAC and BNL

Abstract

Given the recent success of >GV/m dielectric wakefield accelerator (DWA) breakdown experiments at SLAC, and follow‐on coherent Cerenkov radiation (CCR) production at the UCLA Neptune, a UCLA‐USC‐SLAC collaboration is now implementing a new set of experiments that explore various DWA scenarios. These experiments are motivated by the opportunities presented by the approval of the FACET facility at SLAC, as well as unique pulse‐train wakefield drivers at BNL. The SLAC experiments permit further exploration of the multi‐GeV/m envelope in DWAs, and will entail investigations of novel materials (e.g. CVD diamond) and geometries (Bragg cylindrical structures, slab‐symmetric DWAs), and have an over‐riding goal of demonstrating >GeV acceleration in ∼33 cm DWA tubes. In the nearer term before FACET’s commissioning, we are performing measurements at the BNL ATF, in which we drive ∼50–200 MV/m fields with single pulses or pulse trains, and observe resonantly driven CCR as well as deflection modes. These experiments are of high relevance to enhancing linear collider DWA designs, as they will demonstrate potential for high efficiency operation with pulse trains, and explore transverse modes for the first time.