Interactions of a low current 30-50 KeV electron beam with relativistic plasma waves

Summary form only given. A sub-relativistic electron beam shows promise of being a sensitive diagnostic of the electrostatic fields in large amplitude relativistic plasma waves, based on the results of trajectory simulations in which the particles were injected individually into the plasma wave, and in which collective interactions were not considered. Thompson scattering is commonly used to diagnose waves in laser produced plasmas, such as those used in plasma wave acceleration schemes. In this work we are considering the distortion induced in an electron beam as it passes through laser produced plasma waves as a new diagnostic. We extend the previous work by investigating the collective interactions of the beam and plasma using PIC codes and by detailed theoretical analysis of the various instabilities that may disrupt the beam and the plasma.