Simulations of the experiment on efficient plasma wakefield acceleration

Abstract We report the results of simulations made as a part of the plasma wakefield acceleration project based on VEPP-5 injection complex at Budker INP. Beam dynamics in the transport line and in 1-m-long plasma section is studied. At the designed facility, the efficient regime of plasma wakefield acceleration can be demonstrated. This regime is realized in the case of two properly shaped electron microbunches with a high peak current. To find the required beam shape and plasma parameters, a multiparametric optimization is carried out, which includes end-to-end simulations of beam dynamics in the plasma section as elementary steps. With the drive beam from the VEPP-5 injection complex, it will be possible to accelerate, in 1-m-long plasma, up to 3 × 10 9 particles with 30% driver-to-witness efficiency, energy spread lower than 10%, and acceleration rate 600 MeV/m.