Experimental observation of the motion of ions in a resonantly-driven plasma wakefield accelerator

We show experimentally that an effect of motion of ions, observed in a plasma-based accelerator, depends inversely on the plasma ion mass. The effect appears within a single wakefield event and manifests itself as a bunch tail, occurring only when sufficient motion of ions suppresses wakefields. Wak...

Popoln opis

Bibliografske podrobnosti
Main Authors: Walter, E, Amoedo, C, Burrows, PN, AWAKE Collaboration
Format: Journal article
Jezik:English
Izdano: American Physical Society 2025
Opis
Izvleček:We show experimentally that an effect of motion of ions, observed in a plasma-based accelerator, depends inversely on the plasma ion mass. The effect appears within a single wakefield event and manifests itself as a bunch tail, occurring only when sufficient motion of ions suppresses wakefields. Wakefields are driven resonantly by multiple bunches, and simulation results indicate that the ponderomotive force causes the motion of ions. In this case, the effect is also expected to depend on the amplitude of the wakefields, experimentally confirmed through variations in the drive bunch charge.