Plasma accelerators driven by advanced laser sources and/or compact electron linacs are key components for the next generation of green and sustainable research infrastructures.
PACRI – Plasma Accelerator systems for Compact Research Infrastructures, is a EU-funded project to develop key plasma accelerator technologies for Europe’s future research infrastructures, such as EuPRAXIA and ELI Beamlines.
The specific objectives of PACRI are:
- Develop high repetition rate plasma modules, extending its scientific scope to high-average brightness radiation sources and high-energy physics.
- Improve the performance of normal conducting accelerator technology for X-band linacs, paving the way for high repetition rate operation (up to kHz) with a focus on efficiency and power consumption.
- Develop key laser components required to scale up high power, high repetition rate laser technology as required by the EuPRAXIA and ELI ESFRI research infrastructures.
The achievement of the PACRI objectives will enable the production of unique particle and photon beams with a wide range of applications in ultrafast science, high precision medical imaging, materials diagnostics, medical treatment and, in the longer term, the development of compact colliders.