Unifying Physics of Accelerators, Lasers and Plasma - Synergy and Bridges

Sponsor:

Michigan State University

Course Name:

Unifying Physics of Accelerators, Lasers and Plasma - Synergy and Bridges

Course materials and lectures
Unifying Physics 1-st edition Open Access and the updated 2-nd edition

Instructors:

Andrei Seryi, Jefferson Lab and Marlene Turner, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
TA: Ganesh Tiwari, Brookhaven National Lab

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, including the energy recovery concepts. 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, including the Electron-Ion Collider and beyond, touching on beam cooling and polarization preservation methods. 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 TRIZ to connect the areas further, to introduce the inventive principles and the laws of evolution of technical systems focusing specifically on accelerator technology, 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, and arm our students with powerful inventing methodology. 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 via universal inventive principles and laws of evolutions of technical systems. 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, and beyond.

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 in particular on 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 the principles of energy recovery and beam cooling, 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, Ed. II – Innovation by Design" by Andrei Seryi and Elena Seraia, CRC Press Publishers (expected in May 2023).

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).

USPAS Computer Requirements
There will be no Computer Lab and all participants are required to bring their own portable computer to access online course notes and computer resources.  This can be a laptop or a tablet with a sufficiently large screen and keyboard. Windows, Mac, and Linux-based systems that are wifi capable and have a standard web browser and mouse are all acceptable.  You should have privileges for software installs. If you are unable to bring a computer, please contact uspas@fnal.gov ASAP to request a laptop loan.  Very limited IT support and spare loaner laptops will be available during the session.

Michigan State University course number:  PHY 905 Section 803, Special Problems
Indiana University course number: Physics 671, Advanced Topics in Accelerator Physics
MIT course number: 8.790, Accelerator Physics