Basic study of a diagnostic electron beam traversing a plasma and or electromagnetic wave

Summary form only given. A laboratory diagnostic for laser excited plasma waves is being developed, based on an electron beam traversing across the wave, that will infer information on the plasma wave's amplitude, spatial profile, and other parameters. The electron beam is assumed to have small emittance, low current, and Gaussian that becomes distorted as a result of passing through the plasma wave. Numerical simulations have shown that the distorted beam profile gives information on the plasma wave. These simulations assume that the electron beam has low, but finite emittance and divergence. In order to study the effect of emittance and divergence, additional single particle simulations are being performed to study electrons crossing the plasma wave at various angles. Separate simulations are studying the effect on this diagnostic created by the co-propagation of the plasma wave along with the laser beam that excited it. Additionally, a second HeNe laser based diagnostic is being developed to measure the emittance of the original electron beam. These simulations are used to model the laboratory apparatus, which consists of a 5 Joule CO
₂
laser used to excite the plasma wave and a 5 to 50 keV electron used as the main diagnostic. This diagnostic is being developed to support novel plasma wave acceleration research.