Optimization of PBG-Waveguides for Terahertz-Driven Electron Acceleration

The properties of 2-D photonic bandgap dielectric structures, also called photonic crystals, are numerically investigated to assist the design of waveguides for terahertz (THz)-driven linear electron acceleration. Given the broadband nature of the driving pulses in THz acceleration regimes, one design aim is to maximize the photonic bandgap width to allow propagation of the relevant frequencies within the photonic crystal linear defect waveguide. The proposed design is optimized to provide the best compromise between effective acceleration bandwidth and strong beam-wave interaction at the synchronism central frequency. Considerations on achieved acceleration bandwidth, accelerating voltage, and surface magnetic field are given to compare the proposed geometry to one of the main counterparts in the literature-the dielectric-lined waveguide.