Effect of transition layer on wakefield in plasma waveguide
Using 2.5D particle-in-cell simulations, we investigate the parameters of a plasma wakefield accelerator (PWFA) for positrons and electrons in a layered plasma waveguide (LPW) in the presence of a transition layer (TL) between two layers of uniform plasma with different densities. The layered plasma is modeled as a combination of a near-wall tubular plasma of higher density and an on-axis plasma column of substantially lower density, separated by a TL in which the plasma density varies smoothly from the lower to the higher value according to a specified law. It is shown that using the PWFA parameters determined for a layered plasma waveguide without the transition layer changes the acceleration conditions when the TL is present, and that this change depends on the TL thickness. It is demonstrated that when the TL thickness exceeds the skin-layer depth in the tubular plasma, the positron acceleration rate decreases substantially. The methods are proposed for correcting the parameters of the plasma waveguide under consideration that compensate for the decrease in the energy gain of the accelerated bunches and ensure their stable transport.