1
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Põder K, Wood JC, Lopes NC, Cole JM, Alatabi S, Backhouse MP, Foster PS, Hughes AJ, Kamperidis C, Kononenko O, Mangles SPD, Palmer CAJ, Rusby D, Sahai A, Sarri G, Symes DR, Warwick JR, Najmudin Z. Multi-GeV Electron Acceleration in Wakefields Strongly Driven by Oversized Laser Spots. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2024; 132:195001. [PMID: 38804956 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.132.195001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Experiments were performed on laser wakefield acceleration in the highly nonlinear regime. With laser powers P<250 TW and using an initial spot size larger than the matched spot size for guiding, we were able to accelerate electrons to energies E_{max}>2.5 GeV, in fields exceeding 500 GV m^{-1}, with more than 80 pC of charge at energies E>1 GeV. Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations show that using an oversized spot delays injection, avoiding beam loss as the wakefield undergoes length oscillation. This enables injected electrons to remain in the regions of highest accelerating fields and leads to a doubling of energy gain as compared to results from using half the focal length with the same laser.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Põder
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - J C Wood
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
| | - N C Lopes
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
- GoLP/Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - J M Cole
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
| | - S Alatabi
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
| | - M P Backhouse
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
| | - P S Foster
- Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - A J Hughes
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
| | - C Kamperidis
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
- ELI-ALPS, ELI-HU Non-profit Ltd., Szeged, Hungary
| | - O Kononenko
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
- LOA, ENSTA ParisTech-CNRS-École Polytechnique-Université Paris-Saclay, 828 Boulevard des Maréchaux, 91762 Palaiseau Cedex, France
| | - S P D Mangles
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
| | - C A J Palmer
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - D Rusby
- Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - A Sahai
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
| | - G Sarri
- Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - D R Symes
- Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - J R Warwick
- Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - Z Najmudin
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
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2
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Duff MJ, Wilson R, King M, Gonzalez-Izquierdo B, Higginson A, Williamson SDR, Davidson ZE, Capdessus R, Booth N, Hawkes S, Neely D, Gray RJ, McKenna P. High order mode structure of intense light fields generated via a laser-driven relativistic plasma aperture. Sci Rep 2020; 10:105. [PMID: 31919383 PMCID: PMC6952361 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-57119-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The spatio-temporal and polarisation properties of intense light is important in wide-ranging topics at the forefront of extreme light-matter interactions, including ultrafast laser-driven particle acceleration, attosecond pulse generation, plasma photonics, high-field physics and laboratory astrophysics. Here, we experimentally demonstrate modifications to the polarisation and temporal properties of intense light measured at the rear of an ultrathin target foil irradiated by a relativistically intense laser pulse. The changes are shown to result from a superposition of coherent radiation, generated by a directly accelerated bipolar electron distribution, and the light transmitted due to the onset of relativistic self-induced transparency. Simulations show that the generated light has a high-order transverse electromagnetic mode structure in both the first and second laser harmonics that can evolve on intra-pulse time-scales. The mode structure and polarisation state vary with the interaction parameters, opening up the possibility of developing this approach to achieve dynamic control of structured light fields at ultrahigh intensities.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Duff
- SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
| | - R Wilson
- SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
| | - M King
- SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
| | | | - A Higginson
- SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
| | - S D R Williamson
- SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
| | - Z E Davidson
- SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
| | - R Capdessus
- SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
| | - N Booth
- Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - S Hawkes
- Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - D Neely
- SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK.,Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - R J Gray
- SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
| | - P McKenna
- SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK.
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3
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Svendsen K, González IG, Hansson M, Svensson JB, Ekerfelt H, Persson A, Lundh O. Optimization of soft X-ray phase-contrast tomography using a laser wakefield accelerator. OPTICS EXPRESS 2018; 26:33930-33941. [PMID: 30650824 DOI: 10.1364/oe.26.033930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
X-ray phase-contrast imaging allows for non-invasive analysis in low-absorbing materials, such as soft tissue. Its application in medical or materials science has yet to be realized on a wider scale due to the requirements on the X-ray source, demanding high flux and small source size. Laser wakefield accelerators generate betatron X-rays fulfilling these criteria and can be suitable sources for phase-contrast imaging. In this work, we present the first phase-contrast images obtained by using ionization injection-based laser wakefield acceleration, which results in a higher photon yield and smoother X-ray beam profile compared to self-injection. A peak photon yield of 1.9 × 1011 ph/sr and a source size of 3 μm were estimated. Furthermore, the current laser parameters produce an X-ray spectrum mainly in the soft X-ray range, in which laser-plasma based phase-contrast imaging had yet to be studied. The phase-contrast images of a Chrysopa lacewing resolve features on the order of 4 μm. These images are further used for a tomographic reconstruction and a volume rendering, showing details on the order of tens of μm.
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4
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Kuschel S, Schwab MB, Yeung M, Hollatz D, Seidel A, Ziegler W, Sävert A, Kaluza MC, Zepf M. Controlling the Self-Injection Threshold in Laser Wakefield Accelerators. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2018; 121:154801. [PMID: 30362794 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.121.154801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Controlling the parameters of a laser plasma accelerated electron beam is a topic of intense research with a particular focus placed on controlling the injection phase of electrons into the accelerating structure from the background plasma. An essential prerequisite for high-quality beams is dark-current free acceleration (i.e., no electrons accelerated beyond those deliberately injected). We show that small-scale density ripples in the background plasma are sufficient to cause the uncontrolled (self-)injection of electrons. Such ripples can be as short as ∼50 μm and can therefore not be resolved by standard interferometry. Background free injection with substantially improved beam characteristics (divergence and pointing) is demonstrated in a gas cell designed for a controlled gas flow. The results are supported by an analytical theory as well as 3D particle in cell simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Kuschel
- Helmholtz Insitute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Optics and Quantumelectronics, University of Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - M B Schwab
- Helmholtz Insitute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Optics and Quantumelectronics, University of Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - M Yeung
- Helmholtz Insitute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - D Hollatz
- Institute of Optics and Quantumelectronics, University of Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - A Seidel
- Institute of Optics and Quantumelectronics, University of Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - W Ziegler
- Helmholtz Insitute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Optics and Quantumelectronics, University of Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - A Sävert
- Helmholtz Insitute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Optics and Quantumelectronics, University of Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - M C Kaluza
- Helmholtz Insitute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Optics and Quantumelectronics, University of Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - M Zepf
- Helmholtz Insitute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Optics and Quantumelectronics, University of Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
- School of Mathematics and Physics, Queens University Belfast, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
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5
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Ultrafast Imaging of Laser Driven Shock Waves using Betatron X-rays from a Laser Wakefield Accelerator. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11010. [PMID: 30030516 PMCID: PMC6054639 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29347-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Betatron radiation from laser wakefield accelerators is an ultrashort pulsed source of hard, synchrotron-like x-ray radiation. It emanates from a centimetre scale plasma accelerator producing GeV level electron beams. In recent years betatron radiation has been developed as a unique source capable of producing high resolution x-ray images in compact geometries. However, until now, the short pulse nature of this radiation has not been exploited. This report details the first experiment to utilize betatron radiation to image a rapidly evolving phenomenon by using it to radiograph a laser driven shock wave in a silicon target. The spatial resolution of the image is comparable to what has been achieved in similar experiments at conventional synchrotron light sources. The intrinsic temporal resolution of betatron radiation is below 100 fs, indicating that significantly faster processes could be probed in future without compromising spatial resolution. Quantitative measurements of the shock velocity and material density were made from the radiographs recorded during shock compression and were consistent with the established shock response of silicon, as determined with traditional velocimetry approaches. This suggests that future compact betatron imaging beamlines could be useful in the imaging and diagnosis of high-energy-density physics experiments.
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6
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Lei B, Wang J, Kharin V, Zepf M, Rykovanov S. γ-Ray Generation from Plasma Wakefield Resonant Wiggler. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2018; 120:134801. [PMID: 29694227 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.120.134801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A flexible gamma-ray radiation source based on the resonant laser-plasma wakefield wiggler is proposed. The wiggler is achieved by inducing centroid oscillations of a short laser pulse in a plasma channel. Electrons (self-)injected in such a wakefield experience both oscillations due to the transverse electric fields and energy gain due to the longitudinal electric field. The oscillations are significantly enhanced when the laser pulse centroid oscillations are in resonance with the electron betatron oscillations, extending the radiation spectrum to the gamma-ray range. The polarization of the radiation can be easily controlled by adjusting the injection of the laser pulse into the plasma channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bifeng Lei
- Helmholtz-Institut Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Jingwei Wang
- Helmholtz-Institut Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201800 Shanghai, China
| | | | - Matt Zepf
- Helmholtz-Institut Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
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7
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Huang TW, Robinson APL, Zhou CT, Qiao B, Liu B, Ruan SC, He XT, Norreys PA. Characteristics of betatron radiation from direct-laser-accelerated electrons. Phys Rev E 2016; 93:063203. [PMID: 27415373 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.93.063203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Betatron radiation from direct-laser-accelerated electrons is characterized analytically and numerically. It is shown here that the electron dynamics is strongly dependent on a self-similar parameter S(≡n_{e}/n_{c}a_{0}). Both the electron transverse momentum and energy are proportional to the normalized amplitude of laser field (a_{0}) for a fixed value of S. As a result, the total number of radiated photons scales as a_{0}^{2}/sqrt[S] and the energy conversion efficiency of photons from the accelerated electrons scales as a_{0}^{3}/S. The particle-in-cell simulations agree well with the analytical scalings. It is suggested that a tunable high-energy and high-flux radiation source can be achieved by exploiting this regime.
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Affiliation(s)
- T W Huang
- HEDPS, Center for Applied Physics and Technology and School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.,Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - A P L Robinson
- Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - C T Zhou
- HEDPS, Center for Applied Physics and Technology and School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing 100094, People's Republic of China.,College of Electronic Science and Technology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, People's Republic of China
| | - B Qiao
- HEDPS, Center for Applied Physics and Technology and School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - B Liu
- HEDPS, Center for Applied Physics and Technology and School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing 100094, People's Republic of China
| | - S C Ruan
- College of Electronic Science and Technology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, People's Republic of China
| | - X T He
- HEDPS, Center for Applied Physics and Technology and School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing 100094, People's Republic of China
| | - P A Norreys
- Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom.,Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, United Kingdom
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8
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Generation of neutral and high-density electron-positron pair plasmas in the laboratory. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6747. [PMID: 25903920 PMCID: PMC4462844 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Electron–positron pair plasmas represent a unique state of matter, whereby there exists an intrinsic and complete symmetry between negatively charged (matter) and positively charged (antimatter) particles. These plasmas play a fundamental role in the dynamics of ultra-massive astrophysical objects and are believed to be associated with the emission of ultra-bright gamma-ray bursts. Despite extensive theoretical modelling, our knowledge of this state of matter is still speculative, owing to the extreme difficulty in recreating neutral matter–antimatter plasmas in the laboratory. Here we show that, by using a compact laser-driven setup, ion-free electron–positron plasmas with unique characteristics can be produced. Their charge neutrality (same amount of matter and antimatter), high-density and small divergence finally open up the possibility of studying electron–positron plasmas in controlled laboratory experiments. Electron–positron pair plasma—a state of matter with a complete symmetry between negatively and positively charged particles—are found in many astrophysical object. Here, the authors use high-power laser to create an ion-free electron–positron plasma in the laboratory.
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9
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Sarri G, Corvan DJ, Schumaker W, Cole JM, Di Piazza A, Ahmed H, Harvey C, Keitel CH, Krushelnick K, Mangles SPD, Najmudin Z, Symes D, Thomas AGR, Yeung M, Zhao Z, Zepf M. Ultrahigh Brilliance Multi-MeV γ-Ray Beams from Nonlinear Relativistic Thomson Scattering. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2014; 113:224801. [PMID: 25494074 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.113.224801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We report on the generation of a narrow divergence (θ_{γ}<2.5 mrad), multi-MeV (E_{max}≈18 MeV) and ultrahigh peak brilliance (>1.8×10^{20} photons s^{-1} mm^{-2} mrad^{-2} 0.1% BW) γ-ray beam from the scattering of an ultrarelativistic laser-wakefield accelerated electron beam in the field of a relativistically intense laser (dimensionless amplitude a_{0}≈2). The spectrum of the generated γ-ray beam is measured, with MeV resolution, seamlessly from 6 to 18 MeV, giving clear evidence of the onset of nonlinear relativistic Thomson scattering. To the best of our knowledge, this photon source has the highest peak brilliance in the multi-MeV regime ever reported in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Sarri
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The Queen's University of Belfast, BT7 1NN Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - D J Corvan
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The Queen's University of Belfast, BT7 1NN Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - W Schumaker
- Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2099, USA
| | - J M Cole
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - A Di Piazza
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - H Ahmed
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The Queen's University of Belfast, BT7 1NN Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - C Harvey
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The Queen's University of Belfast, BT7 1NN Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - C H Keitel
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - K Krushelnick
- Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2099, USA
| | - S P D Mangles
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Z Najmudin
- The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - D Symes
- Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - A G R Thomas
- Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2099, USA
| | - M Yeung
- Helmholtz Institute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Z Zhao
- Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2099, USA
| | - M Zepf
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The Queen's University of Belfast, BT7 1NN Belfast, United Kingdom and Helmholtz Institute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
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10
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Albert F, Pollock BB, Shaw JL, Marsh KA, Ralph JE, Chen YH, Alessi D, Pak A, Clayton CE, Glenzer SH, Joshi C. Angular dependence of betatron x-ray spectra from a laser-wakefield accelerator. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2013; 111:235004. [PMID: 24476282 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.111.235004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We present the first measurements of the angular dependence of the betatron x-ray spectrum produced by electrons inside the cavity of a laser-wakefield accelerator. Electrons accelerated up to 300 MeV energies produce a beam of broadband, forward-directed betatron x-ray radiation extending up to 80 keV. The angular resolved spectrum from an image plate-based spectrometer with differential filtering provides data in a single laser shot. The simultaneous spectral and spatial x-ray analysis allows for a three-dimensional reconstruction of electron trajectories with micrometer resolution, and we find that the angular dependence of the x-ray spectrum is showing strong evidence of anisotropic electron trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Albert
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NIF and Photon Sciences, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore California 94550, USA
| | - B B Pollock
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NIF and Photon Sciences, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore California 94550, USA
| | - J L Shaw
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles California 90095, USA
| | - K A Marsh
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles California 90095, USA
| | - J E Ralph
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NIF and Photon Sciences, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore California 94550, USA
| | - Y-H Chen
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NIF and Photon Sciences, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore California 94550, USA
| | - D Alessi
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NIF and Photon Sciences, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore California 94550, USA
| | - A Pak
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NIF and Photon Sciences, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore California 94550, USA
| | - C E Clayton
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles California 90095, USA
| | - S H Glenzer
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford California 94309, USA
| | - C Joshi
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles California 90095, USA
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11
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Optical control of hard X-ray polarization by electron injection in a laser wakefield accelerator. Nat Commun 2013; 4:2421. [PMID: 24026068 PMCID: PMC3778521 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Accepted: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Laser-plasma particle accelerators could provide more compact sources of high-energy radiation than conventional accelerators. Moreover, because they deliver radiation in femtosecond pulses, they could improve the time resolution of X-ray absorption techniques. Here we show that we can measure and control the polarization of ultra-short, broad-band keV photon pulses emitted from a laser-plasma-based betatron source. The electron trajectories and hence the polarization of the emitted X-rays are experimentally controlled by the pulse-front tilt of the driving laser pulses. Particle-in-cell simulations show that an asymmetric plasma wave can be driven by a tilted pulse front and a non-symmetric intensity distribution of the focal spot. Both lead to a notable off-axis electron injection followed by collective electron–betatron oscillations. We expect that our method for an all-optical steering is not only useful for plasma-based X-ray sources but also has significance for future laser-based particle accelerators. Radiation sources driven by laser-plasma accelerators have the potential to produce shorter bursts of radiation at lower cost than those based on conventional accelerators. Schnell et al. demonstrate the ability to control the polarization of the bursts of hard X-rays produced by such a source.
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12
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Sarri G, Schumaker W, Di Piazza A, Vargas M, Dromey B, Dieckmann ME, Chvykov V, Maksimchuk A, Yanovsky V, He ZH, Hou BX, Nees JA, Thomas AGR, Keitel CH, Zepf M, Krushelnick K. Table-top laser-based source of femtosecond, collimated, ultrarelativistic positron beams. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2013; 110:255002. [PMID: 23829742 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.110.255002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The generation of ultrarelativistic positron beams with short duration (τ(e+) ≃ 30 fs), small divergence (θ(e+) ≃ 3 mrad), and high density (n(e+) ≃ 10(14)-10(15) cm(-3)) from a fully optical setup is reported. The detected positron beam propagates with a high-density electron beam and γ rays of similar spectral shape and peak energy, thus closely resembling the structure of an astrophysical leptonic jet. It is envisaged that this experimental evidence, besides the intrinsic relevance to laser-driven particle acceleration, may open the pathway for the small-scale study of astrophysical leptonic jets in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Sarri
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The Queen's University of Belfast, BT7 1NN Belfast, United Kingdom
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13
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Schumaker W, Nakanii N, McGuffey C, Zulick C, Chyvkov V, Dollar F, Habara H, Kalintchenko G, Maksimchuk A, Tanaka KA, Thomas AGR, Yanovsky V, Krushelnick K. Ultrafast electron radiography of magnetic fields in high-intensity laser-solid interactions. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2013; 110:015003. [PMID: 23383801 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.110.015003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Using electron bunches generated by laser wakefield acceleration as a probe, the temporal evolution of magnetic fields generated by a 4 × 10(19) W/cm(2) ultrashort (30 fs) laser pulse focused on solid density targets is studied experimentally. Magnetic field strengths of order B(0) ~ 10(4) T are observed expanding at close to the speed of light from the interaction point of a high-contrast laser pulse with a 10-μm-thick aluminum foil to a maximum diameter of ~1 mm. The field dynamics are shown to agree with particle-in-cell simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Schumaker
- Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
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14
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Lin C, van Tilborg J, Nakamura K, Gonsalves AJ, Matlis NH, Sokollik T, Shiraishi S, Osterhoff J, Benedetti C, Schroeder CB, Tóth C, Esarey E, Leemans WP. Long-range persistence of femtosecond modulations on laser-plasma-accelerated electron beams. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2012; 108:094801. [PMID: 22463644 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.108.094801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Laser plasma accelerators have produced femtosecond electron bunches with a relative energy spread ranging from 100% to a few percent. Simulations indicate that the measured energy spread can be dominated by a correlated spread, with the slice spread significantly lower. Measurements of coherent optical transition radiation are presented for broad-energy-spread beams with laser-induced density and momentum modulations. The long-range (meter-scale) observation of coherent optical transition radiation indicates that the slice energy spread is below the percent level to preserve the modulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Lin
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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15
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Zhidkov AG, Pikuz SA, Faenov AY, Chefonov OV, Ovchinnikov AV, Agranat MB, Zigler A. Generation of hard x rays by femtosecond laser pulse interaction with solid targets in atmosphere. OPTICS LETTERS 2012; 37:884-886. [PMID: 22378426 DOI: 10.1364/ol.37.000884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
X ray radiation as high as 50 keV, including K(α) of Ba and Mo, have been observed from a solid target during the interaction of low energy ~0.65 mJ, 1 kHz 40 femtosecond laser pulses focused in air at atmospheric pressure. Energetic electrons generating such x rays are possibly produced when the field strength in laser pulse wake exceeds the runaway threshold in air. Two dimensional particle-in-cell simulations that include optical field ionization of air and elastic collisions support this mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey G Zhidkov
- PPC, Osaka University and JST, CREST, 2-1, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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16
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Clayton CE, Ralph JE, Albert F, Fonseca RA, Glenzer SH, Joshi C, Lu W, Marsh KA, Martins SF, Mori WB, Pak A, Tsung FS, Pollock BB, Ross JS, Silva LO, Froula DH. Self-guided laser wakefield acceleration beyond 1 GeV using ionization-induced injection. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2010; 105:105003. [PMID: 20867526 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.105.105003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The concepts of matched-beam, self-guided laser propagation and ionization-induced injection have been combined to accelerate electrons up to 1.45 GeV energy in a laser wakefield accelerator. From the spatial and spectral content of the laser light exiting the plasma, we infer that the 60 fs, 110 TW laser pulse is guided and excites a wake over the entire 1.3 cm length of the gas cell at densities below 1.5 × 10(18) cm(-3). High-energy electrons are observed only when small (3%) amounts of CO2 gas are added to the He gas. Computer simulations confirm that it is the K-shell electrons of oxygen that are ionized and injected into the wake and accelerated to beyond 1 GeV energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E Clayton
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
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17
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Dong P, Reed SA, Yi SA, Kalmykov S, Shvets G, Downer MC, Matlis NH, Leemans WP, McGuffey C, Bulanov SS, Chvykov V, Kalintchenko G, Krushelnick K, Maksimchuk A, Matsuoka T, Thomas AGR, Yanovsky V. Formation of optical bullets in laser-driven plasma bubble accelerators. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2010; 104:134801. [PMID: 20481887 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.104.134801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2009] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Electron density bubbles--wake structures generated in plasma of density n(e) approximately 10(19) cm(-3) by the light pressure of intense ultrashort laser pulses--are shown to reshape weak copropagating probe pulses into optical "bullets." The bullets are reconstructed using frequency-domain interferometric techniques in order to visualize bubble formation. Bullets are confined in three dimensions to plasma-wavelength size, and exhibit higher intensity, broader spectrum and flatter temporal phase than surrounding probe light, evidence of their compression by the bubble. Bullets observed at 0.8 approximately < n(e) approximately < 1.2x10(19) cm(-3) provide the first observation of bubble formation below the electron capture threshold. At higher n(e), bullets appear with high shot-to-shot stability together with relativistic electrons that vary widely in spectrum, and help relate bubble formation to fast electron generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Dong
- Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1081, USA
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18
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Pak A, Marsh KA, Martins SF, Lu W, Mori WB, Joshi C. Injection and trapping of tunnel-ionized electrons into laser-produced wakes. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2010; 104:025003. [PMID: 20366604 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.104.025003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2009] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
A method, which utilizes the large difference in ionization potentials between successive ionization states of trace atoms, for injecting electrons into a laser-driven wakefield is presented. Here a mixture of helium and trace amounts of nitrogen gas was used. Electrons from the K shell of nitrogen were tunnel ionized near the peak of the laser pulse and were injected into and trapped by the wake created by electrons from majority helium atoms and the L shell of nitrogen. The spectrum of the accelerated electrons, the threshold intensity at which trapping occurs, the forward transmitted laser spectrum, and the beam divergence are all consistent with this injection process. The experimental measurements are supported by theory and 3D OSIRIS simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Pak
- Department of Electrical Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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19
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Masuda S, Miura E, Koyama K, Kato S. Absolute calibration of an electron spectrometer using high energy electrons produced by the laser-plasma interaction. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2008; 79:083301. [PMID: 19044340 DOI: 10.1063/1.2969655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
An in situ observation system has been developed to observe the absolute electron energy spectra of electron beams generated by laser-plasma interaction. A phosphor screen (DRZ) coupled with a charge coupled device camera is used to detect the electrons. A new method is proposed to calibrate the absolute sensitivity of the detection system for a wide energy range with a single shot by using an electron beam generated by laser-plasma interaction. The sensitivity of the system is found to be high, which is comparable to that of an imaging plate.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Masuda
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 2, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
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20
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Németh K, Shen B, Li Y, Shang H, Crowell R, Harkay KC, Cary JR. Laser-driven coherent betatron oscillation in a laser-wakefield cavity. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2008; 100:095002. [PMID: 18352716 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.100.095002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2007] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The origin of beam disparity in emittance and betatron oscillation orbits, in and out of the polarization plane of the drive laser of laser-plasma accelerators, is explained in terms of betatron oscillations driven by the laser field. As trapped electrons accelerate, they move forward and interact with the laser pulse. For the bubble regime, a simple model is presented to describe this interaction in terms of a harmonic oscillator with a driving force from the laser and a restoring force from the plasma wake field. The resulting beam oscillations in the polarization plane, with period approximately the wavelength of the driving laser, increase emittance in that plane and cause microbunching of the beam. These effects are observed directly in 3D particle-in-cell simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Károly Németh
- Accelerator Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA.
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21
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He MQ, Dong QL, Sheng ZM, Weng SM, Chen M, Wu HC, Zhang J. Acceleration dynamics of ions in shocks and solitary waves driven by intense laser pulses. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2007; 76:035402. [PMID: 17930299 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.76.035402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2007] [Revised: 07/09/2007] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The acceleration of ions in collisionless electrostatic shocks and solitary waves, driven by ultrashort intense laser pulses in a thin solid target under different conditions, is investigated theoretically. When a shock is formed, ions with certain initial velocities inside the target can be accelerated by the electrostatic field at the shock front to twice the shock speed. When a solitary wave is formed, only ions located at the rear surface of the target can be accelerated by the solitary wave together with the sheath field formed there.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Qing He
- Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, CAS, Beijing 100080, China
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22
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Glinec Y, Faure J, Norlin A, Pukhov A, Malka V. Observation of fine structures in laser-driven electron beams using coherent transition radiation. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2007; 98:194801. [PMID: 17677622 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.98.194801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2006] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
We have measured the coherent optical transition radiation emitted by an electron beam from laser-plasma interaction. The measurement of the spectrum of the radiation reveals fine structures of the electron beam in the range 400-1000 nm. These structures are reproduced using an electron distribution from a 3D particle-in-cell simulation and are attributed to microbunching of the electron bunch due to its interaction with the laser field. When the radiator is placed closer to the interaction point, spectral oscillations have also been recorded, signature of the interference of the radiation produced by two electron bunches delayed by 74 fs. The second electron bunch duration is shown to be ultrashort to match the intensity level of the radiation. Whereas transition radiation was used at longer wavelengths in order to estimate the electron bunch length, this study focuses on the ultrashort structures of the electron beam.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Glinec
- Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquée - ENSTA, UMR 7639, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, 91761 Palaiseau, France
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23
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Chang CL, Hsieh CT, Ho YC, Chen YS, Lin JY, Wang J, Chen SY. Production of a monoenergetic electron bunch in a self-injected laser-wakefield accelerator. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2007; 75:036402. [PMID: 17500801 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.75.036402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2006] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Production of a monoenergetic electron bunch in a self-injected laser-wakefield accelerator is investigated with a tomographic method which resolves the electron injection and acceleration processes. It is found that all the electrons in the monoenergetic electron bunch are injected at the same location in the plasma column and then accelerated with an acceleration gradient exceeding 2 GeV/cm. The injection position shifts with the position of pump-pulse focus, and no significant deceleration is observed for the monoenergetic electron bunch after it reaches the maximum energy. The results are consistent with the model of transverse wave breaking and beam loading for the injection of monoenergetic electrons. The tomographic method adds a crucial dimension to the whole array of existing diagnostics for laser beams, plasma waves, and electron beams. With this method the details of the underlying physical processes in laser-plasma interactions can be resolved and compared directly to particle-in-cell simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- C-L Chang
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 106, Taiwan
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24
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Phuoc KT, Corde S, Shah R, Albert F, Fitour R, Rousseau JP, Burgy F, Mercier B, Rousse A. Imaging electron trajectories in a laser-wakefield cavity using betatron X-ray radiation. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2006; 97:225002. [PMID: 17155808 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.97.225002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2006] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate that betatron x-ray radiation accurately provides direct imaging of electrons trajectories accelerated in laser wakefields. Experimental far field x-ray beam profiles reveal that electrons can follow similar transverse trajectories with typical excursions of 1.5 microm+/-0.5 microm in the plane of laser polarization and 0.7 microm+/-0.2 microm in the plane perpendicular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Ta Phuoc
- Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquée, ENSTA, CNRS UMR7639, Ecole Polytechnique, Chemin de la Hunière, 91761 Palaiseau, France.
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