Summary of Working Group 1: Laser Plasma Wakefield Acceleration

Laser-driven plasma wakefield acceleration is a developing technique that allows to accelerate charged particles with gradients ∽ 100 GV/m, providing a path towards compact and cost-efficient accelerators. Thanks to ongoing R&D efforts in the US and all over the world, laser plasma accelerators are maturing and progressing towards being used for scientific applications, such as e.g. compact X-ray free electron lasers and strong field quantum electrodynamics experiments. In addition, conceptual design and simulation developments as well as proof-of-principle experimental demonstrations for multi-TeV colliders are ongoing. Within the scope of the 2022 Advanced Accelerator Concepts Workshop, Working Group 1 (WG1) discussed the recent advances of driving plasma wakefields with laser pulses, beam and pulse propagation along the plasma, charged particle injection methods, particle trapping in the wakefields, beam, pulse and plasma diagnostics, control of beam quality, accelerator applications as well as the status of experimental facilities.