Presented by: Michael Litos, University of Colorado, Boulder

Abstract: Plasma-based particle accelerators have transitioned from dream to reality over the past four decades and have approached within striking distance of application readiness. Bunches comprising tens-of-millions of electrons are now regularly accelerated from rest to nearly 10 GeV of energy-per-particle in the distance of mere centimeters. With such accelerating gradients, it should be possible to extend the reach of particle colliders operating at the energy frontier, as well as reduce the size and cost of ultra-high-brightness X-ray laser sources, making them more accessible to researchers throughout the world. One of the next major challenges to the field is the preservation of beam quality before, during, and after the acceleration process to meet the physics-driven demands of the major target applications. In this talk, I will describe efforts being led by my group to address this and other challenges at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s FACET-II plasma wakefield accelerator research facility.

Host: Tobin Munsat

Presented by: Michael Litos, University of Colorado, Boulder

Abstract: Plasma-based particle accelerators have transitioned from dream to reality over the past four decades and have approached within striking distance of application readiness. Bunches comprising tens-of-millions of electrons are now regularly accelerated from rest to nearly 10 GeV of energy-per-particle in the distance of mere centimeters. With such accelerating gradients, it should be possible to extend the reach of particle colliders operating at the energy frontier, as well as reduce the size and cost of ultra-high-brightness X-ray laser sources, making them more accessible to researchers throughout the world. One of the next major challenges to the field is the preservation of beam quality before, during, and after the acceleration process to meet the physics-driven demands of the major target applications. In this talk, I will describe efforts being led by my group to address this and other challenges at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s FACET-II plasma wakefield accelerator research facility.

Host: Tobin Munsat