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Modular quadrupole array capture line for plasma-accelerated electrons

Bruno D. Muratori, Deepa Angal-Kalinin, Alexander R. Bainbridge, Joe Crone, Clive Hill, James K. Jones, Hywel L. Owen, Thomas H. Pacey, Yuri M. Saveliev et al.

Daniel Symes, Nicolas Bourgeois, and Oliver Finlay

Neil R. Thompson

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Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 29, 051601 – Published 7 May, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/8hns-3zqp

Abstract

The UK Extreme Photonics Applications Centre (EPAC) intends to flexibly provide laser-accelerated GeV-scale electrons to a wide array of experiments and like other such facilities must efficiently capture them from a laser-wakefield acceleration (LWFA) source. Here we describe a unique, modular beam capture optics system based on a FODO array of Halbach permanent-magnet quadrupoles and show how that modular arrangement can be used in different configurations to provide energy-selected and focused bunches for different purposes. We present an engineering concept for the beamline that incorporates diagnostics and drive laser extraction and describe the effect of field errors and misalignments and their mitigation.

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Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 29, 051601– Published 7 May, 2026
  • Received 4 July 2025
  • Accepted 19 March 2026
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