Controlled Collective Field Propagation for Ion Acceleration Using a Slow Wave Structure

Acceleration of ions by intense relativistic electron beams in a vacuum has been investigated using the injector of the Maryland ERA project. Proton energies above 16 MeV and proton beam currents above 10 kA have been obtained. Carbon ions have been accelerated to energies above 20 MeV using the same facility. The propagation of the beam in the accelerating region has been investigated, and the effects of different conducting boundaries studied. A helical slow wave structure to control the propagation of the collective acceleration field is proposed, and preliminary experimental considerations are presented.