Beam dynamics in High Power Energy Recovery Linacs

Energy recovery linacs (ERL) are one of the most promising new technologies for the development of future accelerators with applications in many areas, including particle and nuclear physics. This PhD project addresses a central challenge for ERLs, namely reaching a new range of power by combining higher electron beam energy with higher beam current, generated by optimized electron sources.

This project will be pursued within the international PERLE Collaboration where the STFC Laboratory at Daresbury, the University of Liverpool and Orsay are members, together with CERN, Jefferson Lab in the USA, Novosibirsk in Russia, and many others. 

PERLE is a new ERL facility which will be hosted at Irene Joliot Curie Laboratory at Orsay (France). It is the first dedicated facility to operate at 10 MW power, i.e. at 20 mA nominal electron current and 500 MeV energy. It is linked to the development of a new generation of electron-proton colliders such as the LHeC or FCC-eh.

The project will jointly be offered by the University of Liverpool, STFC and our colleagues at Orsay, where years two and three of the project will be based. The focus of the work will be on investigations into the optimization of the dynamics of high brightness electron bunches for injection into the main PERLE accelerator. This is a key issue that will directly feed into the technical design of PERLE that is being prepared by the international partners. At Orsay, the project will entail participation in technical preparations and start-up of PERLE, including work on the commissioning of the accelerator and studies into beam properties.

A background in accelerator science will be beneficial, but is not essential. Comprehensive postgraduate training programme will be part of this project. In particular, you will benefit from the established training and support programme offered by the Cockcroft Institute.

You will spend your first and final year in the UK and be given the opportunity to conduct your research at Orsay in France during years 2 and 3. Subject to the usual funding approval, the studentship will cover the UK/EU fees; a maintenance allowance will be paid for up to 4 years.

For any enquiries please contact: Prof Carsten Welsch ([Email Address Removed]) and Prof Max Klein ([Email Address Removed]) 

To apply for this opportunity, please visit: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/how-to-apply/ Please quote studentship reference PPPR005 in the funding section of the application form.