Hybrid plasma wakefield acceleration: Concept and preliminary results

Plasma wakefield accelerators can be driven by either a powerful laser pulse (LWFA) or a high-current charged particle beam (PWFA). We combine both acceleration methods in a staged setup to efficiently exploit the advantages of each scheme. We present preliminary results of a proof of concept-experiment at the DRACO laser facility at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR). The LWFA stage (1st stage) generates ultra relativistic electron beams with peak currents exceeding 20 kA via self truncated ionization injection (STII) out of a 3mm super sonic dopant (He+N) gas jet. These beams are sent into the second 3mm dopant (H+He) gas jet, driving plasma wakefields in the non-linear bubble regime. Thereby, injected electrons induced by the field ionization form a second electron beam (witness) that ideally exceeds the driving bunch (driver) quality in terms of energy and brightness.