Cold relativistic wavebreaking threshold of two-dimensional plasma waves

The two-dimensional wave-breaking of relativistic plasma waves driven by a ultrashort high-power lasers, is described within a framework of cold 2-D fluid theory. It is shown that the transverse nonlinearity of the plasma wave results in temporally increasing transverse plasma oscillation in the wake of the laser pulse, inevitably inducing wave-breaking below the 1-D threshold. A condition for wave-breaking is obtained and evaluated. A preformed density channel is found to partially cancel the effect and increase the length of wakefield that survives before wavebreaking occurs. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87717/2/404_1.pd

All-Optical Laser-Wakefield Electron Injector

Demonstrated the principle of optical control of laser accelerators, namely, that one laser pulse could modify the properties (e.g., emittance and electron number) of an electron beam accelerated by a separate but synchronized laser pulse. Another recent highlight was that, using our new 30-fs 10-TW laser system, we accelerated with a laser accelerator an electron beam with a record low divergence (0.2 degrees). This is more than 100 times lower than the 30-degree divergence that was reported recently by a French group using a laser with similar parameters

Resonant laser‐plasma electron acceleration

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87302/2/65_1.pd

TOPICAL REVIEW: Relativistic laser–plasma interactions

By focusing petawatt peak power laser light to intensities up to 1021 W cm −2, highly relativistic plasmas can now be studied. The force exerted by light pulses with this extreme intensity has been used to accelerate beams of electrons and protons to energies of a million volts in distances of only microns. This acceleration gradient is a thousand times greater than in radio-frequency-based accelerators. Such novel compact laser-based radiation sources have been demonstrated to have parameters that are useful for research in medicine, physics and engineering. They might also someday be used to ignite controlled thermonuclear fusion. Ultrashort pulse duration particles and x-rays that are produced can resolve chemical, biological or physical reactions on ultrafast (femtosecond) timescales and on atomic spatial scales. These energetic beams have produced an array of nuclear reactions, resulting in neutrons, positrons and radioactive isotopes. As laser intensities increase further and laser-accelerated protons become relativistic, exotic plasmas, such as dense electron–positron plasmas, which are of astrophysical interest, can be created in the laboratory. This paper reviews many of the recent advances in relativistic laser–plasma interactions.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/48918/2/d308r2.pd

Electron Injection by Dephasing Electrons with Laser Fields

The authors seek to review injection concepts for plasma based acceleration. It is shown that regardless of injection mechanism, resultant beams will be similar due to wave structure. Also, most schemes employ the same basic processes, namely the dephasing of electrons by laser fields, and can thus be analyzed with similar approaches

Method for Generating a Plasma Wave to Accelerate Electrons

The invention provides a method and apparatus for generating large amplitude nonlinear plasma waves, driven by an optimized train of independently adjustable, intense laser pulses. In the method, optimal pulse widths, interpulse spacing, and intensity profiles of each pulse are determined for each pulse in a series of pulses. A resonant region of the plasma wave phase space is found where the plasma wave is driven most efficiently by the laser pulses. The accelerator system of the invention comprises several parts: the laser system, also called beam source, which preferably comprises photo cathode electron source and RF-LINAC accelerator; electron photo-cathode triggering system; the electron diagnostics; and the feedback system between the electron diagnostics and the laser system. The system also includes plasma source including vacuum chamber, magnetic lens, and magnetic field means. The laser system produces a train of pulses that has been optimized to maximize the axial electric field amplitude of the plasma wave, and thus the electron acceleration, using the method of the invention

Method for Generating a Plasma Wave to Accelerate Electrons

The invention provides a method and apparatus for generating large amplitude nonlinear plasma waves, driven by an optimized train of independently adjustable, intense laser pulses. In the method, optimal pulse widths, interpulse spacing, and intensity profiles of each pulse are determined for each pulse in a series of pulses. A resonant region of the plasma wave phase space is found where the plasma wave is driven most efficiently by the laser pulses. The accelerator system of the invention comprises several parts: the laser system, also called beam source, which preferably comprises photo cathode electron source and RF-LINAC accelerator; electron photo-cathode triggering system; the electron diagnostics; and the feedback system between the electron diagnostics and the laser system. The system also includes plasma source including vacuum chamber, magnetic lens, and magnetic field means. The laser system produces a train of pulses that has been optimized to maximize the axial electric field amplitude of the plasma wave, and thus the electron acceleration, using the method of the invention

Laser Accelerated Plasma Propulsion System (LAPPS)

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76736/1/AIAA-2001-3810-844.pd

Acceleration of electrons in a self-modulated laser wakefield

Acceleration of electrons in a self-modulated laser-wakefield is investigated. The generated electron beam is oberved to have a multi-component beam profile and its energy distribution undergoes discrete transitions as the conditions are varied. These features can be explained by simple simulations of electron propagation in a 3-D plasma wave. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87719/2/333_1.pd

Ultrashort-pulse relativistic electron gun/accelerator

Laser driven plasma waves have up to now been considered exclusively as second stage accelerators. Conventional linacs are used in this case as the first stage of acceleration to inject MeV electrons into the plasma. This paper shows it to be advantageous to instead use laser wake fields in the first stage for greater simplicity and better emittance. The concept presented makes this possible with all-optical generation and acceleration of electrons. It is tested using two dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. © 1997 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87565/2/106_1.pd