Speaker
Description
AWAKE is a plasma wakefield acceleration experiment where the wakefields are driven by a highly energetic, long proton bunch that undergoes the self-modulation instability. The objectives of Run 2c, due to start in 2029, are to demonstrate emittance preservation of the accelerated electron bunch.
In contrast with the 10-meter-long plasma setup used thus far, in Run 2c the witness electron bunch will be injected between two plasma sections, after the proton bunch has become fully self-modulated in the first section. It is therefore crucial to obtain as much information as possible about the parameters achievable with the new layout and the challenges it poses before actual commissioning begins.
In this work we use particle-in-cell simulations to provide an expectation for the wakefield amplitude and energy gain in the second plasma section. We also simulate, with particle-tracking code RF-Track [1], possible emittance increase of the injected electron bunch for the case of an injection region that contains rubidium vapour. These results inform the planning of AWAKE Run 2c but could also be relevant for other facilities that are building plasma-based accelerators.
[1]: Latina, A. (2024). RF-Track Reference Manual. Zenodo.
