2.5-dimensional numerical simulation of relativistic electron bunch self-modulation in a plasma

Abstract

This paper presents the results of 2.5-dimensional numerical simulation of both the modulation of long high-density relativistic electron bunches (REB) in a plasma and the excitation of wake fields by these bunches. The previous one-dimensional study has shown that the density profile modulation of a long bunch moving in plasma results in the growth of the wake wave amplitude. This is explained by the fact that the wake fields generated by microbunches being due to the evolution of the initially uniform bunch during the modulation, are coherent. The bunch modulation occurs at the plasma frequency. The present study is concerned with the REB motion, taking into account the plasma and REB nonlinearities. It is demonstrated that the radial REB dynamics exerts primary effect on both the REB self-modulation and the wake field excitation by the bunches formed.