A multi-drive beam scheme for two-beam acceleration in a TeV linear collider

The Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) study of an e+/e- linear collider in the TeV energy range is based on Two-Beam Acceleration (TBA) in which the overall RF power needed to accelerate the beam is extracted from high intensity relativistic electron beams, the so-called drive beams. Due to the high beam power, acceleration and transport of the drive beams in an efficient and reliable way is specially challenging. An overview of a potentially effective scheme is presented. It is based on the generation of trains of short bunches, accelerated in low frequency c.w. superconducting cavities, stored in an isochronous ring and combined at high energy by funneling before injection by sectors into the drive linac. The various systems of the complex are discussed as well as the beam dynamics all along the process. An original method has been specially developed to stabilize such an intense beam during deceleration and RF power production in the drive linac.