Q. With reference to the Wakefield Accelerator, consider the following statements:
1.A Wakefield accelerator uses a plasma-based technique in which a strong plasma wave, generated by a laser pulse or particle beam, can accelerate charged particles over much shorter distances than conventional radio-frequency accelerators.
2.Unlike conventional accelerators, a Wakefield accelerator accelerates particles primarily through magnetic fields rather than through electric fields associated with plasma waves.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: A
Notes:
Explanation: 1 only
Statement 1 is correct: Wakefield acceleration is a technique in which a high-energy laser pulse or particle beam travels through plasma and creates a strong plasma wave (“wake”). Charged particles can then be accelerated by the extremely strong electric fields associated with this wake, potentially reducing accelerator length substantially.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The principal accelerating force comes from the electric field of the plasma wake, not primarily from magnetic fields.
Source: TH
