U.S. Particle Accelerator School
Unifying Physics of Accelerators, Lasers and Plasma – Synergy and Bridges course
Sponsoring University:
Colorado State University
Course:
Unifying Physics of Accelerators, Lasers and Plasma – Synergy and Bridges
Course materials and lectures
Unifying Physics 1-st edition Open Access and oncoming 2-nd edition
Instructors:
Andrei A. Seryi, John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, University of Oxford, Imperial College London and Royal Holloway University of London, UK
Purpose and Audience
The course will be suitable for students of various levels between senior undergraduate and graduate students in physics, those who are interested exploring the exciting science arising from synergy of three areas – accelerators, lasers and plasma, which is essential for creation of the next generation facilities, devices and scientific instruments. We will explore novel laser-plasma acceleration methods comparing them with traditional accelerators. We will study design of national scale as well as compact Free Electron Lasers. We will study what would it take to make a next generation particle therapy facility based on plasma acceleration, studying in meanwhile the effect of radiation on DNA and as well as elements of medical imaging. We will explore the designs of colliders which could be built after LHC. We will highlight similarities and differences of terminology and mathematical apparatus used for description of similar phenomena in these areas of physics, building bridges of understanding between accelerators, lasers and plasma. We will discuss these three areas of physics in tandem with the industrial methodology of inventiveness to connect the areas further, and to stimulate our students for taking on the challenges of scientific and technological innovation. This one-week course will aim at creation of bridges and connections between three areas of physics, essential for developments of next generation accelerators – physics of accelerators, lasers and plasma. The course will be suitable for students of various levels between senior undergraduate and graduate students.
Prerequisites
Students should have good knowledge of Classical Mechanics and Electrodynamics, at entrance graduate level. Familiarity with the concepts of special relativity and quantum mechanics is recommended.
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they meet the course prerequisites or have equivalent experience.
Objectives
This course will focus on the key phenomena and concepts of accelerator, laser and plasma physics, building-up cross-understanding in these three areas. Upon completing this course, students become fluent in physics concepts, terminology and methods used in these three areas, and should become more effective in their research and innovations that span across these fields.
Instructional Method
This course will offer a series of lectures during morning sessions, followed by afternoon tutorial sessions. The tutorial sessions will be focused on analysis of key inventions that shaped these three scientific areas, and on considering and solving various problems and mini-projects by small teams of several students, followed by oral reports. Homework problems will be assigned daily. There will be a final exam on the last day of the class.
Course Content
During the course we will focus on several key phenomena that span across these three areas, and will focus on in-depth understanding of similarities and differences of physics, as well on studying differences of terminology and mathematical apparatus used for description of similar phenomena in these areas of physics. We will review in particular, basics of accelerators and of the Art of Inventiveness, focusing of particle and laser beams, making connections to light optics and plasma focusing, we will derive all important properties of synchrotron radiation in a back-of-the-envelope style, we will review the method of beam acceleration and compression in parallel with methods of amplification of laser pulses and their compression with CPA and similar techniques, we will discuss design and properties of resonant structures, such as radiofrequency resonators, in tandem with discussion of laser mirror cavities, plasma resonance properties, we will discuss instabilities in particle beams and in plasma as well as beam cooling and damping, we will review designs of SR sources and FEL, we will study DNA response to radiation and design of present and futuristic particle therapy facilities, we will discuss various techniques of advanced beam manipulation and so on. During our work on problems and miniprojects, as well as during review of the key inventions, we will use the methodology of the theory of inventive problem solving to uncover innovative solutions based on scientific effects across and outside the considered areas.
Reading requirements
To be provided by the USPAS: "Unifying Physics of Accelerators, Lasers and Plasma" by Andrei Seryi, CRC Press Publishers (2015).
Credit Requirements
Students will be evaluated based on performance: homework assignments (30% of final grade), tutorial session reports (40% of final grade) and final exams (30% of final grade).
Colorado State University course number: ENGR 697 Group Study: Special Topics in Accelerator Physics and Engineering: Unifying Physics of Accelerators, Lasers and Plasma - Synergy and Bridges
Indiana University course number: Physics 671
Michigan State University course number: PHY 963
MIT course number: 8.790 "Accelerator Physics"