In Situ Generation of High-Energy Spin-Polarized Electrons in a Beam-Driven Plasma Wakefield Accelerator
Nie Z, Li F, Morales F, Patchkovskii S, Smirnova O, An W, Nambu N, Matteo D, Marsh KA, Tsung F, Mori WB, Joshi C (2021)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2021
Journal
Book Volume: 126
Article Number: 054801
Journal Issue: 5
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.054801
Abstract
In situ generation of a high-energy, high-current, spin-polarized electron beam is an outstanding scientific challenge to the development of plasma-based accelerators for high-energy colliders. In this Letter, we show how such a spin-polarized relativistic beam can be produced by ionization injection of electrons of certain atoms with a circularly polarized laser field into a beam-driven plasma wakefield accelerator, providing a much desired one-step solution to this challenge. Using time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE) simulations, we show the propensity rule of spin-dependent ionization of xenon atoms can be reversed in the strong-field multiphoton regime compared with the non-adiabatic tunneling regime, leading to high total spin polarization. Furthermore, three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are incorporated with TDSE simulations, providing start-to-end simulations of spin-dependent strong-field ionization of xenon atoms and subsequent trapping, acceleration, and preservation of electron spin polarization in lithium plasma. We show the generation of a high-current (0.8 kA), ultralow-normalized-emittance (∼37 nm), and high-energy (2.7 GeV) electron beam within just 11 cm distance, with up to ∼31% net spin polarization. Higher current, energy, and net spin-polarization beams are possible by optimizing this concept, thus solving a long-standing problem facing the development of plasma accelerators.
Involved external institutions
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
United States (USA) (US)
Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. / Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy
Germany (DE)
Beijing Normal University
China (CN)
United States (USA) (US)
Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. / Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy
Germany (DE)
Beijing Normal University
China (CN)
How to cite
APA:
Nie, Z., Li, F., Morales, F., Patchkovskii, S., Smirnova, O., An, W.,... Joshi, C. (2021). In Situ Generation of High-Energy Spin-Polarized Electrons in a Beam-Driven Plasma Wakefield Accelerator. Physical Review Letters, 126(5). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.054801
MLA:
Nie, Zan, et al. "In Situ Generation of High-Energy Spin-Polarized Electrons in a Beam-Driven Plasma Wakefield Accelerator." Physical Review Letters 126.5 (2021).
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