Analytical theory and nonlinear δf perturbative simulations of temperature anisotropy instability in intense charged particle beams

In plasmas with strongly anisotropic distribution functions (T _∥b/T_⊥b ≪ 1) a Harris-like collective instability may develop if there is sufficient coupling between the transverse and longitudinal degrees of freedom. Such anisotropies develop naturally in accelerators and may lead to a deterioration of beam quality. This paper extends previous numerical studies [E. A. Startsev, R. C. Davidson, and H. Qin, Phys. Plasmas 9, 3138 (2002)] of the stability properties of intense non-neutral charged particle beams with large temperature anisotropy (T_⊥b ≫ T_∥b) to allow for nonaxisymmetric perturbations with ∂/∂θ ≠ 0. The most unstable modes are identified, and their eigenfrequencies, radial mode structure, and nonlinear dynamics are determined. The simulation results clearly show that moderately intense beams with s _b = ω̂_pb²/2γ_b ²ω_β⊥² ≳ 0.5 are linearly unstable to short-wavelength perturbations with k_z²r _b² ≳ 1, provided the ratio of longitudinal and transverse temperatures is smaller than some threshold value. Here, ω̂_pb² = 4πn̂_be _b²/γ_bm_b is the relativistic plasma frequency squared, and ω_β⊥ is the betatron frequency associated with the applied smooth-focusing field. A theoretical model is developed based on the Vlasov-Maxwell equations which describes the essential features of the linear stages of instability. Both the simulations and the analytical theory predict that the dipole mode (azimuthal mode number m = 1) is the most unstable mode. In the nonlinear stage, tails develop in the longitudinal momentum distribution function, and the kinetic instability saturates due to resonant wave-particle interactions.