plasma-wakefield accelerator

A plasma-wakefield accelerator is a device that uses a high-energy laser or particle beam to create a wave or "wake" in a plasma—a hot, ionized gas. As the driver moves through the plasma, it displaces electrons, creating a space of strong electric fields behind it. These fields can accelerate charged particles, like electrons, to very high energies over short distances—much shorter than traditional accelerators. This technology holds potential for creating more compact, cost-effective particle accelerators for research, medicine, and industry by leveraging the intense electric fields generated within plasma waves.