Opportunities and Hurdles in Optical Scale

Accelerating Structures
Gil Travish
Particle Beam Physics Laboratory
UCLA Department of Physics & Astronomy
Abstract

For some time it has been realized that scaling particle accelerators to optical
frequencies presents new opportunities for the nearly ubiquitous use of charged
particle beams. Various efforts are underway, albeit far too few, to achieve high
gradient particle acceleration in both laser powered and wakefield driven
dielectric structures. I will use my own work on the Micro Accelerator Platform
(MAP) as an example of the various challenges faced by this class of
accelerating structure. The MAP has design parameters similar to other such
structures: laser powered; 800 nm period; gap (equivalent to the iris diameter in
a conventional linac) of 800 nm; ~1 GV/m gradients; fC-pC charge per bunch;
~10 fs bunch lengths. The MAP and its ilk face hurdles ranging from fabrication
technologies to sub-micron beam manipulation. The diagnostics required are
demanding, a rich area of work, and overlap well with proposed next generation
light source beams. Despite the barriers, these devices hold great promise. In
speculating on applications and end uses, which span from colliders to
compact light sources to medical devices, I will draw from a number of
examples. Finally, I will use this seminar as a bully pulpit to advocate for
dielectric accelerators in general.
The work I am presenting represents years of effort
by many workers at several institutions.
MAP Work:
Rodney Yoder (Manhattanville College) Esperanza Arab, Urd Lacroix, James
Rosenzweig, Ninel Vartanian, Jin Xu (UCLA)
CCR THz measurements:
A. Cook (UCLA)
T-481 Team:
M. C. Thompson (Tri Alpha)
H. Badakov, A. M. Cook, J. B. Rosenzweig, R. Tikoplav (UCLA)
I. Blumenfeld, M. J. Hogan, R. Ischebeck, N. Kirby, R. Siemann, D. Walz (SLAC)
P. Muggli (USC)
A. Scott (UCSB)
R. Yoder (Manhattanville College)
E-163 Materials:
E. Colby, R. J. England, C. McGuinness (SLAC)
AWA Material:
W. Gai & J. Power (ANL)
Additional Materials:
J. B. Rosenzweig (UCLA); R. Assmann (CERN-SL)
Dielectric structures will be the next commonly
applied accelerator technology

Gradients: Plasma AA Gradients: Metallic Structures

Case GeV/m Case MeV/m
PWFA 50 SLC 20
LWFA 100 NLC 90
Foil 1000 CLIC 150
SRF 25-35
x-band photoinjectors
w-band structures

How many OOM can we leap?

In collider applications, cost is the primary driver,
not just gradient.

COM Energy Cost: x10 reduction over 40 years

Project Cost: x200 increase
M. Tigner. Does accelerator-based particle physics have a future?.
Physics Today (2001) vol. 54 (1) pp. 36-41

Solution?
Do less physics?
Do better at the entire acceleration process!
The accelerator structure is just one piece...
civil engineering, facilities, final focus, power...
There is a long list of challenges a next-generation
accelerator faces, but clearly it must be high-gradient

Science and Technology of Future

breakdown
alignment
Light Sources

A White Paper

diagnostics
Report prepared by scientists from ANL, BNL, LBNL and SLAC. The coordinating team
consisted of Uwe Bergmann, John Corlett, Steve Dierker, Roger Falcone, John Galayda, Murray
Gibson, Jerry Hastings, Bob Hettel, John Hill, Zahid Hussain, Chi-Chang Kao, Janos Kirz,
wakefields
power sources
Gabrielle Long, Bill McCurdy, Tor Raubenheimer, Fernando Sannibale, John Seeman, Z.-X.
Shen, Gopal Shenoy, Bob Schoenlein, Qun Shen, Brian Stephenson, Joachim Stöhr, and
Alexander Zholents. Other contributors are listed at the end of the document.

Argonne National Laboratory

Brookhaven National Laboratory

very small phase space

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

December 2008

positron acceleration
luminosity
staging
Total energy gain proves engineering, and it sure
earns respect

R. Ischebeck
M. Hogan

What will it take to show real energy gain in

dielectric structures?
 There are numerous applications where modest
beam energies in a compact system are desired

ICS
FEL

!"#!$%&'()(*(+,-!./01"12(3%
I actually drew this myself!

P. O’Shea et al.
Science (2001).

Diffraction

THz
Diagnostic x-ray

P. Musumeci (UCLA)
• 456%2!1/*6%!56!1/01!1/*6%
– 789&95&%!&'%!),8509:6
– ;%2<%!56!5!2%=%2%8:%!1(98&!98!&90%

THzNetwork.org
Random web image
Why dielectrics?
Gradients x10-x100 metal
Structural control of fields
Many possible geometries
Wake, RF or Laser powered
Positron acceleration
Scalable fabrication

Can we merge small and big science?

breakdown limits
Breakdown has been explored in a wide range of
pulse lengths, wavelengths and materials
GHz THz IR-VIS
10-15 fs

T-481
-13
10
L
A ps
-11 DWA S
10 E
Breakdown Limits R
Pulse Length [s]

Conventional Structure
10-9 Gradients Du (1996) ns
~GV/m

10-7
us

10-5
Conventional RF

10-3

10-1

100 102 104 106 108 1010 1012 1014

Frequency [Hz]
During T-481 we made an initial measurement of
breakdown in a DWA of over 10GV/m.

DWA
13.8±0.7 GV/m
the fused silica in this experiment is Fiber Exposed to ~1000 Shots at High Beam Compression
subject to additional low-flux sources
of ion izin g r a d i a t i o n i n c l u d i n g : M.C. Thompson, et al., PRL 100, 214801 (May 2008)
incoherent optical and UV Cerenkov
photons, stray 28.5 GeV electrons,
and background x-rays.
FFTB
Laser RIP

∼ 1.1 GV/m @ 100 ps

7 GV/m @ 330 fs
We are really going to need a new experiment and
18 GV/m @ 30 fs
a new “FFTB” (aka FACET) to figure out time scale
and breakdown mechanism issues.
 Moving beyond breakdown, we can characterize
the emission from these DWA structures

Measured Power Spectrum

270 GHz

370 GHz

PIC Simulation of On-Axis Longitudinal Field Ez

A. Cook (UCLA)
power sources
High gradient structures are pushed to optical
wavelengths due to scaling and source availability
Plots from E. Colby, et al.

Eacc ~ Prf/λ

The jump from tubes to

lasers is aka the THz gap Dead Zone
Wakefields are a viable driver for larger systems
and allow for >GV/m fields (and THz frequencies)

The beam powers in a collider

are daunting: ~100MW
Spot Size = 10 nm
σσ
* *
Energy = 2.5 TeV
Pbeam = 4π
x y
Eb L
Ne Luminosoty = 10 35 cm -2s-1
Particles = 1 nC

H. Kotaki et al.,, Phys. Plasmas., 9, 1392 (2002).

structures
 Inner Dielectric Radius (a) 50 and 100 µ m Peak Field at Dielectric

changes were not

changes were not resolvable
resolvable inin this
this experiment.
experiment. The The primary
primary signature
signature

A Dielectric Wake Accelerator (DWA) can be a

wakes in
wakes in this
this first
first phase
phase of
of the
the experiment
experiment was was the
the detection
detection ofof dielectric
dielectric b b
This dielectric wakefield experiment is unique in that it produced fields c
This
those indielectric
earlier laserwakefield
breakdownexperiment
studies. isWe
unique in that it produced
are particularly fields
interested c
in d
those in
material earlier
breakdown laser breakdown studies.
in wake-excited, We are
relatively particularly interested
long wavelength
systems, as compared with optically (laser) excited systems. Quantum a
(> in50d
material
photons to breakdown
produce free in electrons
wake-excited,
in the relatively
material islong
knownwavelength (> 50
to be an initiator
ionization [4]. This mechanism should be mitigated in the wake experime
systems, as compared with optically (laser) excited systems. Quantum a

simple tube structure, easily scaled to many meters

OOPIC Simulations for a SABER Dielectric Experiment
individual photon energies are lower than in the laser case, perhaps allo
photons
fields to to
be produce
tolerated. free
In electrons
the case of inoptically
the material is known
excited fields,to bebreakdown
the an initiator
fs pulse is less than 2 GV/m in fused silica [4]. As discussed below, it seem
ionization [4]. This mechanism should be mitigated in the wake experime
fields higher than 2 GV/m where sustained in our dielectric wake experim
individual photon energies are lower than in the laser case, perhaps allo
pulse lengths.
The dielectric tubes for this experiment were modified from off-the-sh
fields
fused silica tolerated.
to be capillary In the case
tubing (ε ∼
=of3),
optically
which we excited fields,in
procured the breakdown
100 and 200 µ
fs pulse is less than 2 GV/m in fused silica [4]. As discussed below, to
Samples were prepared from this bulk product by cutting pieces it seem
leng
the outer polyimide jacket, polishing the cut ends, and coating the outsid
fields higher
with vapor than 2 GV/m
deposited whereGroups
aluminum. sustained of in
tenour dielectric
samples were wake experim
packaged tog
pulse lengths.
experiment in modular mounting blocks. The 1 cm wide, by 5 cm long, by
The dielectric tubes for this experiment were modified from off-the-sh
fused silica capillary tubing (ε ∼
= 3), which we procured in 100 and 200 µ

On-Axis Accelerating Field: OOPIC Simulations for a SABER Dielectric Experiment

Samples were prepared from this bulk product by cutting pieces to leng
the outer polyimide jacket, polishing the cut ends, and coating the outsid
with vapor deposited aluminum. Groups of ten samples were packaged tog
b in modular mounting blocks. The 1 cm wide, by 5 cm long, by
experiment

4Q 2Q a
E z ,vac = *'* *+ E z ,vac = 2 hollow core
& ) # z << a a FIGURE 2. OOPIC simulation results for parameters Q = 3 nC, beam energy 30 GeV,

a $2 'z + a ! = 20 µ m, a = 50 µ m, b = 162 µ m, and ε = 3. This contour plot shows the z component of t

(Ez ) throughout the simulation region. The electron pulse is moving the right and its cen

% ) (1
with the sharp peak of Ez near z = 2 mm. Note how the wake oscillations retain the sharp

" distribution.

dielectric layer

cladding
OOPIC Simulations for a SABER Dielectric Experiment
drive beam
FIGURE 2. OOPIC simulation results for parameters Q = 3 nC, beam energy 30 GeV,
wakefields

20 µµ m,
= 20
FIGURE 2.
50 µ
m, aa == 50 µ m,
m, b
b= 162 µ
= 162 µ m, and ε
m, and ε =
= 3.
3. This
This contour
contour plot
plot shows
shows the
the zz component
component of
OOPIC simulation results for parameters Q = 3 nC, beam energy 30 GeV,
of tt
DWA simulations
OOPIC (OOPIC):
Simulations for a SABER Dielectricwith
Experiment
=
(E
(E
)
)
throughout
throughout
the
the
simulation
simulation
z region.
region.
The
The Linethe
electron
electron out
pulse
pulse of
is
is E z at the right
moving
moving
the right and
and
its
its
cen
cen
z the sharp peak of E near z = 2 mm. Note howz wake oscillations retain the sharp
distribution. r = 10 µm with a = 100 µm
with the sharp peak of Ez near z = 2 mm. Note how
(Low thefiltered
pass wake Eoscillations
in red.) retain the sharp
z

distribution. 500 MV/m

Contour plots showing Ez for a = 100 µm

Line out of Ez at
r = 10 µm with a = 100 µm
(Low pass filtered Ez in red.)

Contour plots showing Ez for a = 100 µm Line out of Ez at

Just as in the FFTB breakdown studies r = 10 µm with a = 100 µm
(Low pass filtered Ez in red.)
Wakefield driven tube structures and two-beam
configurations have been tested for years (ANL)

Goal: Argonne Wakefield Accelerator

Direct test breakdown Monitor for breakdown
thresholds of dielectric 43 nC
structures under short WF signal 100

RF pulses. 0

Q RF field probe (- 60 dB) -100

0 2 4 6
ε time (ns)

Cu

Infer Gradients from MAFIA

Here at SLAC, the E-163 AARD team is producing
a set of laser-driven dielectric micro-accelerators

PBG

HC-1060 Fiber

10 µm

Woodpile
4 Layer Structure
(10/08)

2 Layer Structure
(6/08)
 At UCLA, we are designing, fabricating and testing a slab-
symmetric, laser-driven, dielectric micro accelerator
Periodic modulation in z is necessary
to have an accelerating mode: a
Laser
standing wave with kz = ω/βc.
Patterned
resonant structure with good Ez fields Bragg stack

Top Slab
Dielectric Layer
b
a

Bottom:
Dielectric Coated Mirror

Device schematic;
structure variation in x not shown
Typical values (λ=1μm)

z a ~ 0.1 μm
b ~ 0.3 μm
number of periods ~ 1000
one period overall length ~ 1 mm
We are taking a three-pronged approach and deferring
some issues typically of concern in HEP accelerators

➊ Metallic Cold Test

Thick Glass Substrate
gold

Top Slab
slots ➋ Integrated “gun”
dielectric

tapered structure

➌ All-dielectric structure electron source electron beam

Patterned
Bragg stack

Top Slab
Dielectric Layer
injection
Injection into a sub-micron aperture and a sub-ps
bucket is a concern

IFEL
Final focus type
Asymmetric emittances
IFEL pre-bunching
Dielectric Injector
E. Colby

Flat beam

εy
≈ 50
εx

D. Edwards, et al., XX Linac Conference, (2000)

An integrated gun may solve the beam injection
problem and enable micro self-contained sources.
Emission vs. Time

Beam Spot

1 inch
We have obtained beams (uncharacterized)
from a 300µm Li:Nb wafer.
simulation tools
Simulations are required to design the structures
and understand the field evolution.

frequency
(HFSS)

time
(Microwave
Studio)
Progress on the all-dielectric structure requires iterating
between simulation wants and fabrication needs
Advanced 3D codes are often necessary to
understand the dynamics

VORPAL

color=accelerating field
Particle Studio

color=slice energy
We have a preliminary design of the
all-dielectric structure.

Coupling structure on top of

Bragg reflector etalon.

Periodicity and coupling in

one structure element.

We still have a lot of work to do on the ß<1 structure

fabrication challenges
 Test structure fabrication involves sputtering gold
onto a substrate and milling away slots with a FIB.
Dual Beam Machine
Focused Ion Beam machining

Final Mounted Structure

cross section
Fabrication of the metallic test structure presented
its own challenges.

Patterns must be Gold film is grainy open issues:

stitched together at the 20nm level. material handling
alignment
gold transmission
control epitaxial gold
of metrology
quality
milling can cause melting

control
of
thickness
Fabricating nanometer-scale features with 1000s of
patterns is challenging but within state-of-the-art.

Substrates
Sapphire, Fused Silica, Silicon Carbide VCSEL techniques
produce very similar dielectric
structure topologies and scales.
!"#$#%&$'()*&+,'
!"#$%&$'(

.6781'

Bragg layers 9):#/*'

AlGaA/AlA with GaA cap ;6781'

-.#/)"#)0'1&2+34/5'
!"#$%&$'(

.6781'

9):#/*'

Fabrication
;6781'

Epitaxy, Sputtering, Oxide Growth,

Lithography
Promising technologies combine nm resolution
with large working areas.
maskless fluid jet laser interferometric
litho polishing litho

3.4 nm gratings 100 nm steps in fused silica

Other groups: LIGA; Reactive Dry Etch; Fiber Pulling

diagnostic, instrumentation and alignment
challenges
Alignment of micro-accelerators is inherently
challenging and involves nm scales

Tolerances: sub micron:

PWFA: ~300nm emittances
LWFA: ~30nm beam sizes
laser light

MAP: ~10nm h Thick Glass Substrate structures

Top Slab
b
w !
a tip/tilt
roll

Bottom:
Dielectric Coated Mirror

Dielectric accelerators are not unique

in requiring nm-tolerances
For the MAP, alignment of the two slabs is
extremely challenging but within state of the art.

We are using a 3-axis

piezo positioner.

We have considered
nanospheres and trenches...

...and fixed height pads

An interferometer+spectrometer based alignment
and cold-test apparatus is working.
Positionable Mirror
Pinhole
Slotted Structure

Iris
Piezo Positioner

Fiber Collimator

Interferometer
Output
Beam Expander /
Camera
 Bunch charges in the pC range and beam sizes >>
structure require indirect measurements

structure causes energy loss (dE/dx) IP

to misaligned particles spectrometer

no structure at IP
E-163 PMQs

J. England
facilities
A few specialized facilities such as SLAC’s E163
are outfitted for micro accelerator testing.
Argonne Wakefield Accelerator provides a unique
test facility for low frequency dielectric structures
Up to 10 GW beam power
(150 nC @ 75 MeV)

High Power RF sources

GW-scale RF @ 20ns

High-Gradient Structures
dielectric structure: 100 MV/m
Goal: GV/m-scale acceleration

Dielectric Two Beam Acceleration

Where do we go from here?
Beyond basic research, much of the work on
dielectric accelerators is application driven

Particle source
THz source NDE
Small lab x-ray FEL Imaging
Collider Cancer therapy
Component testing
Education
e
ur

AP
os
d

M
en

cl
r)

En
pe
se

o
la

sc
to

do
r(

En
be
Fi

or
es

m
Tu
cl
rti
Pa
At FACET, unique wakefield strengths can be
produced, yielding valuable parametric measurements

1 cm 10 cm 1m
Materials Preparation Direct acceleration
Coatings Two-beams Two-beams
Diameters CCR

!
A wakefield powered dielectric tube acceleration
experiment is planned for FACET
Parameter Design Value
Phase Space after 33cm
Beam Charge: short (long)
3 (5) nC
pulse
OOPIC Beam Energy 25 GeV
Beam Length (σz), ≥20 μm,
short (long) pulse (≤150 μm)
Beam Radius (σr) <10 μm
Inner Dielectric Radius, a 100 μm
Outer Dielectric Radius, b 175 μm
!
Dielectric Permittivity ~3.8
Dielectric Tube Length 1, 10, 100 cm
Two Bunch Production
Peak Ez , acceleration >3 GV/m
Maximum Energy Gain (10 cm) 0.11 GeV

LiTrack !
!
We are planning an MAP beam de/acceleration
experiment at E163

SBIR collaboration with

One of our long term goals is to develop a mm-scale,
laser-powered, disposable, relativistic particle source

laser light

There are a

e
ur

AP
os
d

M
en

cl
r)

En
number of

e
se

op
la

sc
(to

do
En
applications in
r
be
industry and Fi
electron beam

medicine

or
es

m
electron source

Tu
cl
rti
Pa
Many challenges and opportunities remain in
dielectric accelerating structure research

high gradient acceleration

beam dynamics
focusing
in-structure diagnostics
staging
multi-photon processes
large-scale fabrication
.
An expanded research effort worldwide could lead to .
an easily reproducible GV/m structure powered by an
off-the-shelf laser
.
Apparently all of this has been well known in the
audiophile world...

Quantum Accelerator, the digital cable for the discriminating music listener.

Foam Dielectric
Offering a superior
conductive surface with
excellent imaging and
detail Directional electron
flow

Positron specs?
A postdoc scholar opportunity is available NOW at
UCLA working on the MAP and dielectric accelerators

Postdoctoral Researcher: Immediate Opening

The Particle Beam Physics Laboratory (PBPL) at the University of
California, Los Angeles, invites applications for a postdoctoral research
position in applied physics with emphasis on nanofabrication. The
position will support our research program in laser-based microaccelerator
structures; the researcher is expected to have experience with micro-
and/or nanoscale fabrication techniques, and to lead efforts to develop a
manufacturing process for novel microstructures. We are especially
looking for creative individuals who are willing to contribute to many
aspects of an active experimental effort. Experience with patterning,
epitaxial growth, dielectrics, and optical and photonic structures is
directly relevant. The position is available immediately and is renewable
for up to three years, assuming continued funding.

see me
The Particle Beam Physics Laboratory (PBPL) is a state-of-the-art center
for research into beam physics and accelerator technologies. We offer a
dynamic work environment with multiple on-campus laboratories and
facilities, strong collaborations world-wide, and a group of dedicated world-

for
class researchers and students.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. in materials science, applied physics, or a

related field, with specific expertise in fabrication methods. Experience in

details! beam physics, accelerator technology, photonics, and related fields is

welcomed, but not necessary. Candidates must have permission to work in
the US. UCLA is an equal opportunity employer.

Qualified candidates should send a CV, description of their research

experience, and three letters of reference to:

Gil Travish
UCLA Department of Physics
Los Angeles, CA 90095
USA
travish@physics.ucla.edu
end of presentation
Extra material