Old Dominion University
Advanced Accelerator Physics
Alex Chao and Xiaobiao Huang, SLAC
Purpose and Audience
Accelerator physics is a rich branch of physics covering a wide range of exciting topics. A selection of these topics will be covered in this course. A good knowledge of basic accelerator physics at the level of the USPAS 'Accelerator Physics' course is assumed. Although advanced in nature, each topic is introduced and developed based on first principles.
Prerequisites
Classical mechanics, electrodynamics, and physical or engineering mathematics, all at entrance graduate-level; and the USPAS graduate-level course "Accelerator Physics" or equivalent.
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they meet the course prerequisites or have equivalent experience.
Objectives
Although they are not expected to become experts, on completion of this course, the students are expected to develop a grasp on approximately half a dozen advanced accelerator physics topics. The intent of the course is not to emphasize the various specialized techniques specific to the design of advanced accelerator projects. Instead, it aims to emphasize the underlying physics. Each topic is introduced starting with first principles. Hopefully I would then be able to address the surprising richness encountered in the field of accelerator physics. Students may find significant overlap with other branches of physics she or he is currently studying.
Instructional Method
This course includes a series of lectures and exercise sessions. Homework problems will be suggested daily and answers provided in the exercise sessions.
Course Content
Panofsky-Wenzel theorem of wake fields, echo effects, laser acceleration in free space, galaxy instability, symplectic maps, truncated power series algebra, Lie algebra, RF particle trap, SLIM formalism, steady-state microbunching radiation source.
Reading Requirements
Lecture notes will be distributed in the class.
Credit Requirements
Students will be evaluated based on the performance of the assigned homework and a final exam.
Old Dominion University course number: Phys 854, "Accelerator Physics"
Indiana University course number: Physics 571, "Special Topics in Physics of Beams"
Michigan State University course number: PHY 963, "U.S. Particle Accelerator School"
MIT course number: 8.790, "Accelerator Physics"