Mikhail Dorf

A spectral method for halo particle definition in intense mismatched beams

An advanced spectral analysis of a mismatched charged particle beam propagating through a periodic focusing transport lattice is utilized in particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. It is found that the betatron frequency distribution function of a mismatched space-charge-dominated beam has a bump-on-tail structure attributed to the beam halo particles. Based on this observation, a new spectral method for halo particle definition is proposed that provides the opportunity to carry out a quantitative analysis of halo particle production by a beam mismatch. In addition, it is shown that the spectral analysis of the mismatch relaxation process provides important insights into the emittance growth attributed to the halo formation and the core relaxation processes. Finally, the spectral method is applied to the problem of space-charge transport limits.

Two-stream Stability Properties of the Return-Current Layer for Intense Ion Beam Propagation Through Background Plasma

When an ion beam with sharp edge propagates through a background plasma, its current is neutralized by the plasma return current everywhere except at the beam edge over a characteristic transverse distance Δx⊥∼δpe, where δpe=c/ωpe is the collisionless skin depth and ωpe is the electron plasma frequency. Because the background plasma electrons neutralizing the ion beam current inside the beam are streaming relative to the background plasma electrons outside the beam, the background plasma can support a two-stream surface-mode excitation. Such surface modes have been studied previously assuming complete charge and current neutralization, and have been shown to be strongly unstable. In this paper we study the detailed stability properties of this two-stream surface mode for an electron flow velocity profile self-consistently driven by the ion beam. In particular, it is shown that the self-magnetic field generated inside the unneutralized current layer, which has not been taken into account previously, comple...

Whistler wave excitation and effects of self-focusing on ion beam propagation through a background plasma along a solenoidal magnetic field

This paper extends studies of ion beam transport through a background plasma along a solenoidal magnetic field [I. Kaganovich et al., Phys. Plasmas 15, 103108 (2008)] to the important regime of moderate magnetic field strength satisfying ωce > 2βbωpe . Here, ωce and ω pe are the electron cyclotron frequency and electron plasma frequency, respectively, and βb = vb/ c is the directed ion beam velocity normalized to the speed of light. The electromagnetic field perturbations excited by the ion beam pulse in this regime are calculated analytically, and verified by comparison with the numerical simulations. The degrees of beam charge neutralization and current neutralization are estimated, and the transverse component of the Lorentz force associated with the excited electromagnetic field is calculated. It is found that the plasma response to the ion beam pulse is significantly different depending on whether the value of the solenoidal magnetic field is below or above the threshold value specified by ω cr ce = 2βbωpe, and corresponding to the resonant excitation of large-amplitude whistler waves. The use of intense whistler wave excitations for diagnostic purposes is also discussed.

Studies of emittance growth and halo particle production in intense charged particle beams using the Paul Trap Simulator Experimenta)

The Paul Trap Simulator Experiment (PTSX) is a compact laboratory experiment that places the physicist in the frame-of-reference of a long, charged-particle bunch coasting through a kilometers-long magnetic alternating-gradient (AG) transport system. The transverse dynamics of particles in both systems are described by the same set of equations, including nonlinear space-charge effects. The time-dependent voltages applied to the PTSX quadrupole electrodes in the laboratory frame are equivalent to the spatially periodic magnetic fields applied in the AG system. The transverse emittance of the charge bunch, which is a measure of the area in the transverse phase space that the beam distribution occupies, is an important metric of beam quality. Maintaining low emittance is an important goal when defining AG system tolerances and when designing AG systems to perform beam manipulations such as transverse beam compression. Results are reviewed from experiments in which white noise and colored noise of various am...

Streaming instabilities of intense charged particle beams propagating along a solenoidal magnetic field in a background plasma

Streaming instabilities of intense charged particle beams propagating along a solenoidal magnetic field in a background plasma are studied analytically and numerically. It is shown that the growth rate of the electromagnetic Weibel instability is modified by a relatively weak solenoidal magnetic field such that ωce>βbωpe, where ωce is the electron gyrofrequency, ωpe is the electron plasma frequency, and βb is the ion-beam velocity relative to the speed of light. Moreover, the Weibel instability is limited to very small propagation angles and long longitudinal wavelengths satisfying k∥2⪡k⊥2 and c2k∥2⪡ωpb2ωpi2∕(ωpb2+ωpi2), where ωpb and ωpi are the plasma frequencies of the beam ions and the background plasma ions, respectively. For shorter longitudinal wavelengths, the electrostatic lower-hybrid instability becomes dominant. In this paper, the growth rates of various electrostatic beam-plasma instabilities and the electromagnetic Weibel instability are compared, and the space-time development of the modifi...

Enhanced collective focusing of intense neutralized ion beam pulses in the presence of weak solenoidal magnetic fieldsa)

The design of ion drivers for warm dense matter and high energy density physics applications and heavy ion fusion involves transverse focusing and longitudinal compression of intense ion beams to a small spot size on the target. To facilitate the process, the compression occurs in a long drift section filled with a dense background plasma, which neutralizes the intense beam self-fields. Typically, the ion bunch charge is better neutralized than its current, and as a result a net self-pinching (magnetic) force is produced. The self-pinching effect is of particular practical importance, and is used in various ion driver designs in order to control the transverse beam envelope. In the present work we demonstrate that this radial self-focusing force can be significantly enhanced if a weak (B ∼ 100 G) solenoidal magnetic field is applied inside the neutralized drift section, thus allowing for substantially improved transport. It is shown that in contrast to magnetic self-pinching, the enhanced collective self-focusing has a radial electric field component and occurs as a result of the overcompensation of the beam charge by plasmaelectrons, whereas the beam current becomes well-neutralized. As the beam leaves the neutralizing drift section, additional transverse focusing can be applied. For instance, in the neutralized drift compression experiments (NDCX) a strong (several Tesla) final focus solenoid is used for this purpose. In the present analysis we propose that the tight final focus in the NDCX experiments may possibly be achieved by using a much weaker (few hundred Gauss) magnetic lens, provided the ion beam carries an equal amount of co-moving neutralizing electrons from the preceding drift section into the lens. In this case the enhanced focusing is provided by the collective electrondynamics strongly affected by a weak applied magnetic field.

Experimental simulations of beam propagation over large distances in a compact linear Paul trap

The Paul Trap Simulator Experiment (PTSX) is a compact laboratory experiment that places the physicist in the frame of reference of a long, charged-particle bunch coasting through a kilometers-long magnetic alternating-gradient (AG) transport system. The transverse dynamics of particles in both systems are described by similar equations, including nonlinear space-charge effects. The time-dependent voltages applied to the PTSX quadrupole electrodes are equivalent to the axially oscillating magnetic fields applied in the AG system. Experiments concerning the quiescent propagation of intense beams over large distances can then be performed in a compact and flexible facility. An understanding and characterization of the conditions required for quiescent beam transport, minimum halo particle generation, and precise beam compression and manipulation techniques, are essential, as accelerators and transport systems demand that ever-increasing amounts of space charge be transported. Application areas include ion-b...

Collective focusing of intense ion beam pulses for high-energy density physics applications

The collective focusing concept in which a weak magnetic lens provides strong focusing of an intense ion beam pulse carrying a neutralizing electron background is investigated by making use of advanced particle-in-cell simulations and reduced analytical models. The original analysis by Robertson [Phys. Rev. Lett. 48, 149 (1982)] is extended to the parameter regimes of particular importance for several high-energy density physics applications. The present paper investigates (1) the effects of non-neutral collective focusing in a moderately strong magnetic field; (2) the diamagnetic effects leading to suppression of the applied magnetic field due to the presence of the beam pulse; and (3) the influence of a finite-radius conducting wall surrounding the beam cross-section on beam neutralization. In addition, it is demonstrated that the use of the collective focusing lens can significantly simplify the technical realization of the final focusing of ion beam pulses in the Neutralized Drift Compression Experime...

Adiabatic Formation of a Matched-beam Distribution for an Alternating-gradient Quadrupole Lattice

The formation of a quasiequilibrium beam distribution matched to an alternating-gradient quadrupole focusing lattice by means of the adiabatic turn-on of the oscillating focusing field is studied numerically using particle-in-cell simulations. Quiescent beam propagation over several hundred lattice periods is demonstrated for a broad range of beam intensities and vacuum phase advances describing the strength of the oscillating focusing field. Properties of the matched-beam distribution are investigated. In particular, self-similar evolution of the beam density profile is observed over a wide range of system parameters. The numerical simulations are performed using the WARP particle-in-cell code.

Particle-In-Cell simulations of halo particle production in intense charged particle beams propagating through a quadrupole focusing field with varying lattice amplitude

The transverse compression and dynamics of intense charged particle beams, propagating through a periodic quadrupole lattice, play an important role in many accelerator physics applications. Typically, the compression can be achieved by means of increasing the focusing strength of the lattice along the beam propagation direction. However, beam propagation through the lattice transition region inevitably leads to a certain level of beam mismatch and halo formation. In this paper we present a detailed analysis of these phenomena using particle-in-cell (PIC) numerical simulations performed with the WARP code. A new definition of beam halo is proposed in this work that provides the opportunity to carry out a quantitative analysis of halo production by a beam mismatch.