ar X iv : h ep - e x / 03 06 04 4 v 1 2 0 Ju n 20 03 Critical Issues in Linear Colliders ∗

Linear colliders (LC) on the energy 0.5–1 TeV are considered as the next step in the particle physics. High acceleration gradients, small beam sizes, precision tolerances, beam collision effects are main problems for linear colliders. In this paper we discuss physics motivation, parameters and status of current LC projects, ee, γγ and γe modes of operation, physical limitations on the energy and luminosity. Present technologies allow to reach energies about 5 TeV with adequate luminosities. Advanced technique based on plasma and laser method of acceleration can provide much higher accelerating gradients, however, perspectives of these methods for high energy colliders are still under big question. Linear colliders with energies above 10 TeV are hard for any acceleration technology. Speculations on possibility of PeV linear colliders based on ponderomotive laser acceleration are just not serious and contain several mistakes on conceptual level. It is shown that due to radiation in the transverse laser field, methods of acceleration based on laser bunch “pressure” do not work at high energies.