Publication Date

2026

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Lu, Xueying

Second Advisor

Chubenko, Oksana

Third Advisor

Lurio, Laurence B.

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Physics

Abstract

Beam-driven structure wakefield acceleration (SWFA) is a proposed method of particle acceleration that produces higher acceleration gradients. This technique could lead to the development of smaller and more efficient particle accelerators. In SWFA, a charged "drive" bunch passing through a dielectric or metallic structure created an electromagnetic "wake" field which can then be used to accelerate a following "witness" bunch. This work studies the effects of structure geometry on wake excitation, presents simulation results of wakefield dynamics in various geometries, and explores how SWFA could be used to achieve higher energy gradients. The use of a circular cross-section structure was experimentally demonstrated at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) facility using a dual-pulse laser system to generate two electron bunches with tunable separation. Data and analysis from this experiment are presented including longitudinal phase space measurements which revealed delay-dependent energy modulation consistent with theory. This dissertation establishes an experimental foundation for future SWFA studies and advances efforts toward controlled wakefield suppression, enhanced beam manipulation, and energy recovery acceleration schemes.

Extent

111 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

text

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Physics Commons

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