Bunch stability during high-gradient wakefield generation in a dielectric-lined waveguide

A recently developed analytic theory for wakefields generated when a charge bunch, or train of bunches, passes along a dielectric-lined waveguide is applied to examine stability issues for this system. Such a configuration could be the key element in a two-beam accelerator to create colliding TeV-range electron and positron beams. It is shown that a 587 MV/m peak acceleration gradient can be achieved when a train of five 2 nC, 1.0 GeV, 0.20 mm long drive bunches passes along the axis of an alumina-lined waveguide (epsilon =9.5) with inner and outer radii 0.50 and 5.0 mm. The energy gain of a 0.2 nC test bunch in a 4 m long stage under these conditions is shown to be 1.48 GeV, for an average acceleration gradient of 370 MV/m. However, when a drive bunch is injected parallel to, but displaced from, the waveguide axis, transverse (mainly dipole) forces cause the tail of the bunch to swerve sharply toward the waveguide wall (head-to-tail instability), and to intersect the wall after traversing a relatively short distance. These results suggest that successful exploitation of the appealing strong wakefields generated by a train of drive bunches will require some means of transverse stabilization, such as an array of externally applied focusing and defocusing quadrupoles. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.