Simulation of Current Filamentation Instability for an Accelerator Beam in a Capillary Plasma

Current Filamentation Instability (CFI) is of central importance for the propagation of relativistic electron beams in plasmas. It could play an important role in the generation of magnetic fields and of radiation in the after-glow of gamma ray bursts as well as in hot electrons energy transport in the fast-igniter inertial confinement fusion concept. Using the particle-in-cell code QuickPIC, simulations of the electron beam at the Brookhaven National Laboratory—Accelerator Test Facility, BNL-ATF, propagating in a cm-long plasma were conducted. Simulation results show that with beam and plasma parameters achievable at the BNL-ATF, the CFI should be observed within 2 cm of plasma. Simulation results are presented for an experiment currently underway at BNL-ATF and possible diagnostics for characterizing the instability are discussed.