Simulation studies on a novel betatron injection scheme

The feasibility of external transport into a modified betatron by the propagation of a relativistic electron beam into a z-pinch channel is discussed. Results from particle-in-cell simulations do not indicate any deleterious instabilities. Though the plasma collision frequency is shown to be just large enough to suppress the beam-plasma instability, a discharge current tapering scheme for decreasing the beam perpendicular velocity will also be a principal stabilizing mechanism. A new high-frequency microwave source based on this study is also detailed.