Positron beam propagation in a meter long plasma channel

Recent experiments and simulations have shown that positron beams propagating in plasmas can be focused and also create wakes with large accelerating gradients. For similar parameters, the wakes driven by positron beams are somewhat smaller compared to the case of an electron beam. Simulations have shown that the wake amplitude can be increased if the positron beam is propagated in a hollow plasma channel. This paper, compares experimentally, the propagation and beam dynamics of a positron beam in a meter scale homogeneous plasma, to a positron beam hollow channel plasma. The results show that positron beams in hollow channels are less prone to distortions and deflections. Hollow channels were observed to guide the positron beam onto the channel axis. Beam energy loss was also observed implying the formation of a large wake amplitude. The experiments were carried out as part of the E-162 plasma wakefield experiments at SLAC.