Short High-Intensity Bunches for Plasma Wakefield Experiment AWAKE in the CERN SPS

Obtaining the shortest possible bunch length in combination with the smallest transverse emittances and highest bunch intensity — this is the wish list of the proton-bunch driven, plasma wakefield acceleration experiment AWAKE currently under feasibility study at CERN. A few measurement sessions were conducted to determine the achievable bunch properties and their reproducibility. To obtain a short bunch length, the bunches were rotated in longitudinal phase space using the maximum available RF voltage prior to extraction. Measurements were carried out in two optics with different transition energies. The main performance limitation is longitudinal beam instability that develops during the acceleration ramp. With lower transition energy, beam stability is improved, but the bucket area is smaller for the same voltage. Based on the results obtained, we shall discuss the choice of optics, the impact of longitudinal instabilities, the importance of reproducibility, as well as options for improving the bunch parameters.