Ultra-high gradient acceleration in nano-crystal channels

Excitation of plasma waves by short intense laser pulses or particle bunches results in very high accelerating gradients [1]. Crystals have ultimately high density of mobile charge carriers (electrons) ∼ 10¹⁹ - 10²³ cm-3 and therefore, under short intense EM impact, can possibly support electric fields of up to 30 TV/m of plasma oscillation [2-4]. Atomic lattice in solid crystals remains practically immobile during short impact pulse and its own focusing field of ∼10-100 V/Å is capable of guiding and collimating high energy particles, thus, opening the way to continuously focused acceleration of heavy leptons (muons) to unprecedented energies [5]. Compared to natural crystal, nanostructured crystals, e.g. carbon nanotubes, with dimensional flexibilities can offer a few orders of magnitude larger phase-space volume for channelling particles [6, 7]. Here we present PIC simulation results obtained with two plasma acceleration codes, Vsim and EPOCH, indicating that in the linear regime the beam-driven or laser-driven channelling acceleration in a 100 μm long nano tube can impart to electrons a gain of up to 10 MeV of energy (G = 100 GeV/m). Experimental tests, including a slit-mask beam modulation and pump-probe electron diffraction, are being planned and prepared at Fermilab and NIU to demonstrate the wakefield acceleration in a photo-excited nano-crystal.