Laser-pulse and electron-bunch plasma wakefield accelerator
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71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
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Robotic Assembly of SRF Cavity Pair
Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavities for particle accelerators require tight tolerances, ultrahigh vacuum, and strict cleanliness during assembly. As in the semiconductor industry, defects such as particles and residues are deleterious to performance, possibly rendering a cavity unfit for use. This problem is addressed primarily through cleanroom assembly during sensitive steps and rigorous chemical processing to prevent and remove such defects. Human workers are often the largest source of contamination, even with proper gowning and practices. The semiconductor industry has long integrated robots in cleanroom operation, but this has not occurred for SRF cavity production; SRF cavities, unlike wafers, are complex shapes, require more hands-on mechanical assembly, and are low-volume production items. At Jefferson Laboratory, a co-operative robot (cobot) has been setup to overcome these problems. Cobots are safe for use alongside human workers and can integrate new tools such as a 3D camera part detection and gripper for item manipulation. Therefore, cobots represent a promising avenue for reducing particulate generated during a variety of assembly tasks. A mockup of a cavity pair and coupler was setup and the cobot programmed to automatically pick up the coupler and place on the mating cavity flange. Particle counting methods were setup to measure human vs cobot assembly particulate generation inside a cavity mockup. Other potential uses will be discussed for further improving SRF cavity assembly steps, where a cobot can replace or assist a human operator, and what potential gains are expected.
Duzik, Adam [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator↗
Analog Signal Multiplexing System for the Iota Proton Injector
The Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) Facility at FNAL is a dedicated research and development center focused on advancing particle accelerator technologies for future applications worldwide. Currently, a key objective of FAST Operations is to commission the 2.5 MeV IOTA Proton Injector (IPI) and enable proton injection into the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) storage ring. The low and medium-energy sections of the IPI include four frame-style dipole trims and two multi-function correctors with independently controlled coils, requiring readout of 32 analog channels for current and voltage monitoring in total. To reduce cost and optimize rack space within the PLC-based control system, a 32-to-4 analog signal multiplexing system was designed and implemented. This system enables real-time readback of excitation parameters from all magnetic correctors. This paper presents the design, construction, implementation, and performance of the multiplexing system.
MacLean, Daniel R. [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000210103↗
Analog Signal Multiplexing System for the IOTA Proton Injector
he Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) Facility at FNAL is a dedicated research and development center focused on advancing particle accelerator technologies for future applications worldwide. Currently, a key objective of FAST Opera-tions is to commission the 2.5 MeV IOTA Proton Injec-tor (IPI) and enable proton injection into the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) storage ring. The low and medium-energy sections of the IPI include four frame-style dipole trims and two multi-function cor-rectors with independently controlled coils, requiring readout of 32 analog channels for current and voltage monitoring in total. To reduce cost and optimize rack space within the PLC-based control system, a 32-to-4 analog signal multiplexing system was designed and implemented. This system enables real-time readback of excitation parameters from all magnetic correctors. This paper presents the design, construction, implementation, and performance of the multiplexing system.
MacLean, Daniel R. [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000210103↗
Cryogenic Liquid Jets for High Repetition Rate Discovery Science
In this paper, we present a detailed procedure for the operation of continuous, micron-sized cryogenic cylindrical and planar liquid jets. When operated as described here, the jet exhibits high laminarity and stability for centimeters. Successful operation of a cryogenic liquid jet in the Rayleigh regime requires a basic understanding of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics at cryogenic temperatures. Theoretical calculations and typical empirical values are provided as a guide to design a comparable system. This report identifies the importance of both cleanliness during cryogenic source assembly and stability of the cryogenic source temperature once liquefied. The system can be used for high repetition rate laser-driven proton acceleration, with an envisioned application in proton therapy. Other applications include laboratory astrophysics, materials science, and next-generation particle accelerators.
42 ENGINEERING↗
A hybrid nodal-staggered pseudo-spectral electromagnetic particle-in-cell method with finite-order centering
Electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) codes are widely used to perform computer simulations of a variety of physical systems, including fusion plasmas, astrophysical plasmas, plasma wakefield particle accelerators, and secondary photon sources driven by ultra-intense lasers. In a PIC code, Maxwell's equations are solved on a grid with a numerical method of choice. This article focuses on pseudo-spectral analytical time-domain (PSATD) algorithms and presents a novel hybrid PSATD PIC scheme that combines the respective advantages of standard nodal and staggered methods. The novelty of the hybrid scheme consists in using finite-order centering of grid quantities between nodal and staggered grids, in order to combine the solution of Maxwell's equations on a staggered grid with the deposition of charges and currents and the gathering of electromagnetic forces on a nodal grid. The correctness and performance of the novel hybrid scheme are assessed by means of numerical tests that employ different classes of PSATD equations in a variety of physical scenarios, ranging from the modeling of electron-positron pair creation in vacuum to the simulation of laser-driven and particle beam-driven plasma wakefield acceleration. It is shown that the novel hybrid scheme offers significant numerical and computational advantages, compared to purely nodal or staggered methods, for all the test cases presented.
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
Parametrizations of coupled betatron motion for strongly coupled lattices
The coupling of transverse motion is a natural occurrence in particle accelerators, either in the form of a residual coupling arising from imperfections or originating by design from strong systematic coupling fields. While the first can be treated perturbatively, the latter requires a robust approach adapted to strongly coupled optics, and a parametrization of the linear optics must be performed to explore beam dynamics in such peculiar lattices. This work highlights the key physical interpretations of the main parametrization formalisms to describe linear coupled optics, along with explicit links and comparisons of these parametrizations. Concepts rarely illustrated in other works, such as forced mode flips and local coupling, are explored in detail, clarifying some anomalies that can arise in lattice functions. The analytical methods have been implemented in a reference Python package and connected with ray-tracing and integration codes to explore examples of strongly coupled lattices, which are discussed in detail to highlight the key physical interpretations of the parametrizations and characteristics of the lattices.
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
Simulations of Hypervelocity Impact Plasmas
The space environment is fraught with complex plasmas spanning a wide range of densities and temperatures. Much of space plasma research has focused on large-scale changes in the ambient plasma and fields from the Sun to the Earth’s atmosphere, driven primarily by the solar wind. Yet one particular type of space plasma, which forms from a hypervelocity impact (HVI), remains poorly understood. Hypervelocity impactors include both meteoroids and space debris. Meteoroids are naturally occurring objects in space that travel between 11 and 72.8 km/s and originate primarily from comets and asteroids. In contrast, space debris are human-made objects with speeds typically < 11 km/s. Hypervelocity impactors routinely hit spacecraft, yet the physics behind the formation of the plasma and the dynamics of its expansion remain largely unknown. The complexity of this phenomenon necessitates a research approach that includes both experimental studies and numerical simulation in order to understand the underlying physical processes that occur upon formation and expansion of the impact plasma. Our research has focused on providing a comprehensive understanding of plasma generated by hypervelocity impacts by meteoroids and space debris on spacecraft in order to characterize the behavior of the expanding plasma and its interactions with the ambient environment. Previously. we conducted experimental campaigns at a dust accelerator facility that can accelerate particles up to 60 km/s, which is representative of meteoroid speeds, and at a light gas gun facility that can accelerate larger projectiles up to 7 km/s, which is representative of orbital debris. The experiments included plasma, optical and radio frequency (RF) sensors in order to understand the dynamics and associated RF emission resulting from hypervelocity plasmas. For this research, we developed and applied machine learning algorithms to identify which type of impactor would produce RF and physics-based models to determine the source of the RF. This was a one-year research program that resulted in 2 refereed journal publications (uploaded separately).
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Kinetic Simulations of Radiative Magnetic Reconnection in the Coronae of Accreting Black Holes
We perform 2D and 3D particle-in-cell simulations of reconnection in magnetically dominated e ± plasmas subject to strong Compton cooling. Magnetic reconnection under such conditions can operate in accretion disk coronae around black holes, which produce hard X-rays through Comptonization. Our simulations show that most of the plasma in the reconnection layer is kept cold by Compton losses and locked in magnetically dominated plasmoids with a small thermal pressure. Compton drag clears cavities inside plasmoids and also affects their bulk motions. These effects, however, weakly change the reconnection rate and the plasmoid size distribution from those in nonradiative reconnection. This demonstrates that the reconnection dynamics is governed by similar magnetic stresses in both cases and weakly affected by thermal pressure. We examine the energy distribution of particles energized by radiative reconnection and observe two distinct components: (1) A mildly relativistic peak, which results from bulk motions of cooled plasmoids. This component receives most of the dissipated reconnection power and dominates the output X-ray emission. The peak has a quasi-Maxwellian shape with an effective temperature of ~100 keV. Thus, it mimics thermal Comptonization used previously to fit hard-state spectra of accreting black holes. (2) A high-energy tail, which receives ~20% of the dissipated reconnection power. It is populated by particles accelerated impulsively at X-points or "picked up" by fast outflows from X-points. The high-energy particles immediately cool, and their inverse Compton emission explains the MeV spectral tail detected in the hard state of Cyg X-1. Our first-principle simulations support magnetic reconnection as a mechanism powering hard X-ray emission from magnetically dominated regions of accreting black holes.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
Towards On-Chip Learning for Low Latency Reasoning with End-to-End Synthesis
The Software Defined Architectures (SODA) Synthesizer is an open-source compiler-based tool able to automatically generate domain-specialized systems targeting Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) or Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) starting from high-level programming. SODA is composed of a frontend, SODA-OPT, which leverages the multilevel intermediate representation (MLIR) framework to interface with productive programming tools (e.g., machine learning frame-works), identify kernels suitable for acceleration, and perform high-level optimizations, and of a state-of-the-art high-level synthesis backend, Bambu from the PandA framework, to generate custom accelerators. One specific application of the SODA Synthesizer is the generation of accelerators to enable ultra-low latency inference and control on autonomous systems for scientific discovery (e.g., electron microscopes, sensors in particle accelerators, etc.). This paper provides an overview of the flow in the context of the generation of accelerators for edge processing to be integrated in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) devices, focusing on use cases from precision material synthesis. We show the tool in action with an example of design space exploration for inference on reconfigurable devices with a conventional deep neural network model (LeNet). Finally, we discuss the research directions and opportunities enabled by SODA in the area of autonomous control for scientific experimental workflows.
Castellana, Vito G.↗
Towards Automated Generation of Chiplet-Based Systems
The Software Defined Architectures (SODA) Synthesizer is an open-source compiler-based tool able to automatically generate domain-specialized systems targeting Application- Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) or Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) starting from high-level programming. SODA is composed of a high-level frontend, SODA-OPT, which leverages the multilevel intermediate representation (MLIR) framework to interface with productive programming tools (e.g., machine learning frameworks), identify kernels suitable for acceleration, and perform high-level optimizations, and of a state-of-the-art high-level synthesis backend, Bambu from the PandA framework, to generate custom accelerators. One specific application of the SODA Synthesizer is the generation of accelerators to enable ultra-low latency inference and control on autonomous systems for scientific discovery (e.g., electron microscopes, sensors in particle accelerators, etc.). This talk will discuss ongoing work on the SODA synthesizer to enable no-human-in-the-loop generation and design space exploration of the chiplets for highly specialized artificial intelligence accelerators. Connecting these highly specialized chiplets to general-purpose cores or programmable accelerators will allow to quickly deploy autonomous systems for scientific discovery.
Limaye, Ankur M.↗
Preface to the 2024 advanced accelerator concepts proceedings
The 21st Advanced Accelerator Concepts (AAC) Workshop, held July 21–26, 2024, in Naperville, Illinois, continued the tradition of fostering innovation in next-generation particle acceleration. Jointly organized by Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and Northern Illinois University, the workshop brought together researchers to explore transformative acceleration technologies. Furthermore, this preface to the proceedings provides key highlights and a brief overview of the workshop's structure.
Piot, Philippe [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL),↗
Facile Measurement of the Rotation of a Single Optically Trapped Nanoparticle Using the Diagonal Ratio of a Quadrant Photodiode
Optical tweezers are a powerful tool for exploring physical properties of particles in various environments through analysis of their dynamics in a trapping potential. Analysis of the trapped particle's position is often done using interferometric back-focal-plane detection microscopy in which interference between the trapping laser and the light interacting with the trapped particle is projected on a quadrant photo-diode (QPD). The QPD measurements are almost universally the voltage ratios between the transverse components of the detector (left/right; up/down) that are calibrated to ascertain particle positions and orientations (i.e., rotation). In this paper, we demonstrate how measuring the diagonal ratio of the QPD allows tracking the spinning and orbital motion of optically trapped objects with enhanced sensitivity compared to the conventional transverse ratio and reveals additional information about particle dynamics. The diagonal ratio "balances" the signal from opposite sides of the QPD, allowing common mode noise reduction and increased measurement sensitivity of the rotating nanospheres at frequencies from below 200 Hz to above 15 kHz. We show that the variability in particle rotation rates is due to slight differences in the aspect ratio of the nanoparticles. We also measure in situ a gradual acceleration in the spinning frequency of trapped nanoparticles due to photothermal shedding of surface ligands and the resulting decrease of rotational friction in solution. The accelerating particles spin at rates exceeding 30 kHz and are eventually "optically printed" onto the glass coverslip on top of the liquid cell enclosure. The diagonal ratio is a simple, readily available, and powerful enabler for measuring rotational dynamics with a 5-fold sensitivity increase over conventional QPD measurements. This affords opportunities for controlling the orientational dynamics of trapped nanoparticles, which is crucial for various applications, including nanoscale mechanical motors.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Temporal evolution of the light emitted by a thin, laser-ionized plasma source
We present an experimental and simulation-based investigation of the temporal evolution of light emission from a thin, laser-ionized helium plasma source. We demonstrate an analytic model to calculate the approximate scaling of the time-integrated, on-axis light emission with the initial plasma density and temperature, supported by the experiment, which enhances the understanding of plasma light measurement for plasma wakefield accelerator (PWFA) plasma sources. Our model simulates the plasma density and temperature using a split-step Fourier code and a particle-in-cell code. A fluid simulation is then used to model the plasma and neutral density, and the electron temperature as a function of time and position. We then show the numerical results of the space-and-time-resolved light emission and that collisional excitation is the dominant source of light emission. We validate our model by measuring the light emitted by a laser-ionized plasma using a novel statistical method capable of resolving the nanosecond-scale temporal dynamics of the plasma light using a cost-effective camera with microsecond-scale timing jitter. This method is ideal for deployment in the high radiation environment of a particle accelerator that precludes the use of expensive nanosecond-gated cameras. Our results show that our models can effectively simulate the dynamics of a thin, laser-ionized plasma source. In addition, this work provides a detailed understanding of the plasma light measurement, which is one of the few diagnostic signals available for the direct measurement of PWFA plasma sources.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Experimental and computational evaluation of alpha particle production from laser-driven proton–boron nuclear reaction in hole-boring scheme
The majority of studies on laser-driven proton–boron nuclear reaction is based on the measurement of α-particles with solid-state nuclear tracks detector (Cr39). However, Cr39's interpretation is difficult due to the presence of several other accelerated particles which can bias the analysis. Furthermore, in some laser irradiation geometries, cross-checking measurements are almost impossible. In this case, numerical simulations can play a very important role in supporting the experimental analysis. In our work, we exploited different laser irradiation schemes (pitcher–catcher and direct irradiation) during the same experimental campaign, and we performed numerical analysis, allowing to obtain conclusive results on laser-driven proton–boron reactions. A direct comparison of the two laser irradiation schemes, using the same laser parameters is presented.
Huault, M. (ORCID:0000000186999166)↗
Detection of a particle shower at the Glashow resonance with IceCube
The Glashow resonance describes the resonant formation of a W - boson during the interaction of a high-energy electron antineutrino with an electron, peaking at an antineutrino energy of 6.3 petaelectronvolts (PeV) in the rest frame of the electron. Whereas this energy scale is out of reach for currently operating and future planned particle accelerators, natural astrophysical phenomena are expected to produce antineutrinos with energies beyond the PeV scale. Here we report the detection by the IceCube neutrino observatory of a cascade of high-energy particles (a particle shower) consistent with being created at the Glashow resonance. A shower with an energy of 6.05 ± 0.72 PeV (determined from Cherenkov radiation in the Antarctic Ice Sheet) was measured. Features consistent with the production of secondary muons in the particle shower indicate the hadronic decay of a resonant W - boson, confirm that the source is astrophysical and provide improved directional localization. The evidence of the Glashow resonance suggests the presence of electron antineutrinos in the astrophysical flux, while also providing further validation of the standard model of particle physics. Its unique signature indicates a method of distinguishing neutrinos from antineutrinos, thus providing a way to identify astronomical accelerators that produce neutrinos via hadronuclear or photohadronic interactions, with or without strong magnetic fields. As such, knowledge of both the flavour (that is, electron, muon or tau neutrinos) and charge (neutrino or antineutrino) will facilitate the advancement of neutrino astronomy.
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
Efficient laser-driven proton acceleration from a petawatt contrast-enhanced second harmonic mixed-glass laser system
Efficient laser-driven plasma acceleration of ion beams requires precision control of the target–plasma profile, which is crucial to optimize the laser energy transfer. Along the laser propagation direction, this can be achieved by tailoring the temporal structure of the laser pulse. We show for the first time that frequency-doubling of a short pulse (hundreds-femtosecond range) petawatt-class mixed-glass laser system, which results in temporal intensity contrast enhancement, enables surface and volumetric laser–energy coupling, and the acceleration of proton beams from few-nanometer-thick foil targets. Experimentally, maximum ion energies and laser-to-proton energy conversion efficiencies were found to be both maximized at optimum laser and target conditions manifested when the normalized target density nearly equalizes the normalized laser vector potential, which is in agreement with theory and simulations. These signatures are recognized as a unique indication of the interaction between ultra-intense laser pulses with high temporal intensity contrast and ultra-thin nanometer-scale targets. Transverse modulations of accelerated proton beams in the form of bubble- and ring-like structures measured in the thinnest targets provide additional evidence of volumetric laser-driven particle acceleration regimes and transitional features in ultra-thin foil targets specific to laser–plasma interactions characterized by a high temporal intensity contrast. These results open avenues in the generation of high contrast laser pulses from short-pulse-femtosecond petawatt mixed-glass laser systems and demonstrate the feasibility of this technique for applications requiring high laser intensity contrast with high efficiency.
Physics↗
Twinac: A Universal Framework for Virtual Accelerator Controls
We propose a universal framework for a system of virtual accelerator controls (Twinac), a standard toolkit for research institutions to design, maintain, and use a real-time, end-to-end "digital twin" of their particle accelerator facility. This virtual counterpart will mirror any physical accelerator to provide (1) predictive maintenance; (2) surveillance of hidden environmental factors, such as seasonal temperature variations, which could impact performance of power supplies, magnets, and other instruments; and (3) a capability to model novel ways to operate the accelerator without risking equipment damage. Twinac is envisioned as accelerator facility agnostic, allowing institutions to share and reuse myriad simulation approaches (analytics-based, A.I.-driven, or combinations of the like) across facilities. The Twinac system lays the groundwork for a collaborative network of institutions to maintain and update this shared virtual accelerator technology.
Miceli, Tia M. [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000265577789)↗