Electron beam wave accelerators

An account will be presented describing the present status of electron beam supported wave accelerator research. We shall review the various approaches to collective acceleration using waves on an electron beam, and then focus attention on ion acceleration in space charge waves. We shall describe the results of experiments on nonlinear wave propagation in inhomogeneous guides. Results will also be presented reviewing work on the use of beat waves on electron beams for collective acceleration. In both cases we shall summarize the status of theoretical studies of these acceleration techniques and will indicate direction for future research.