THz Driven Electron Gun

本研究计画的目标是发展一种微型高能电子源，即电子枪，以产生高品质、高能量的电子束。 高能电子束已被生物学家、化学家和物理学家广泛使用，他们通过X射线和电子衍射研究超快科学;医生进行医学成像和放射治疗;科学家探索高能物理;以及在全国各地的入境口岸进行货物筛查。这些电子束在粒子加速器中产生，粒子加速器操纵带电粒子的能量、密度和定时。粒子加速器的第一个组成部分是电子枪，电子被发射到真空中并与强电场相互作用以加速。电子枪的性能是至关重要的，因为它设置了控制电子束的能力的基本限制。本研究的目的是开发一种超紧凑，高梯度的电子枪在太赫兹（THz）频率范围内工作，展示了GeV/m的加速梯度与前所未有的亮度和时间控制的电子束。一个只有几毫米大小，但能够产生兆电子伏电子的电子枪将被设计，建造和高功率测试。该小组将探索GV/m THz场中的电子场发射和光发射的物理学，THz枪电子束动力学，非相对论加速结构和飞秒时间尺度上的电子束产生。由此带来的性能、紧凑性和效率的提高将为加速器科学及其许多应用开辟新的前沿。

The goal of this research project is to develop a miniature source of energetic electrons, an electron gun, for producing high quality, high energy electron beams. High energy electron beams have found widespread use by biologists, chemists and physicists investigating ultra-fast science through x-ray and electron diffraction; physicians performing medical imaging and radiation therapy; scientists exploring high energy physics; and for cargo screening at ports of entry across the country. These electron beams are generated in particle accelerators which manipulate the energy, density and timing of charged particles. The first building block of a particle accelerator is the electron gun, where electrons are emitted into a vacuum and interact with intense electric fields to be accelerated. The performance of the electron gun is critical because it sets the fundamental limits on the ability to control electron beams.This research aims to develop an ultra-compact, high-gradient electron gun operating in the Terahertz (THz) frequency range which demonstrates GeV/m accelerating gradients with unprecedented brightness and temporal control of the electron beam. An electron gun only a few millimeters in size but capable of producing MeV electrons will be designed, built and tested at high power. The group will explore the physics of electron field-emission and photo-emission in GV/m THz fields, THz gun electron beam dynamics, non-relativistic accelerating structures and electron beam generation on femtosecond timescales. This resulting increase in performance, compactness and efficiency will open new frontiers in accelerator science and its many applications.