Experimental Observation of Plasma Wake-Field Acceleration

Abstract

We report the first experimental test of the physics of plasma wake-field acceleration performed at the Argonne National Laboratory Advanced Accelerator Test Facility. Megavolt-per-meter plasma wake fields are excited by a intense 21-MeV, multipiscosecond bunch of electrons in a plasma of density $n_e\simeq {10}^{13}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{-3\mathrm{}}$, and probed by a low-intensity 15-MeV witness pulse with a variable delay time behind the intense bunch. Accelerating and deflecting wake-field measurements are presented, and the results compared to theoretical predictions.