Bremsstrahlung radiation from the interaction of short laser pulses with dielectrics

An intense, short laser pulse incident on a transparent dielectric can excite electrons from valence to the conduction band. As these electrons undergo scattering, both from phonons and ions, they emit bremsstrahlung radiation. Here we present a theory of bremsstrahlung emission appropriate for laser pulse-dielectric interactions. Simulations of the interaction, incorporating this theory, illustrate characteristics of the radiation (power, energy and spectra) for arbitrary ratios of electron collision frequency to radiation frequency. The conversion efficiency of laser pulse energy into bremsstrahlung radiation depends strongly on both the intensity and duration of the pulse, saturating at values of about 10e-5. Depending on whether the intensity is above or below the damage threshold of the material, the emission can originate either from the surface or the bulk of the dielectric respectively. The bremsstrahlung emission may provide a broadband light source for diagnostics

Laser-Plasma Interactions Enabled by Emerging Technologies

An overview from the past and an outlook for the future of fundamental laser-plasma interactions research enabled by emerging laser systems

The correlation of ULF waves and auroral intensity before, during and after substorm expansion phase onset

We present case studies of the evolution of magnetic wave amplitudes and auroral intensity through the late growth phase and the expansion phase of the substorm cycle. We present strong evidence that substorm-related auroral enhancements are clearly and demonstrably linked to ULF wave amplitudes observed at the same location. In most cases, we find that the highest correlations are observed when the magnetometer time series is advanced in time, indicating that the ULF wave amplitudes start to grow before measured auroral intensities, though interestingly this is not always the case. Further we discuss the four possible reasons that may be able to explain both the timing and the high correlations between these two phenomena, including: a simple coincidence, an artifact of instrumental effects, the response of the ionosphere to magnetic waves and auroral particle precipitation, and finally that ULF waves and auroral particle precipitation are physically linked. We discount coincidence and instrumental effects since in the studies presented here they are unlikely or in general will contribute negligible effects, and we find that the ionospheric response to waves and precipitation can explain some, but not all of the results contained within this paper. Specifically, ionospheric response to substorm waves and auroral precipitation cannot explain that the result that previous studies have shown, that onset of ULF wave activity and the onset of auroral particle precipitation occur at the same time and in the same location. This leaves the possibility that ULF waves and auroral particles are physically linked

Laser-pumped coherent x-ray free-electron laser

In a laser-pumped x-ray free-electron laser (FEL) an intense laser field replaces the magnetic wiggler field of a conventional FEL. Depending on the intensity and quality of both the electron beam and pump laser, the Thomson backscattered radiation can be coherently amplified. In a conventional FEL the generation of x rays requires electron beam energies in the multi-GeV range. In a laser-pumped x-ray FEL, electron beam energies in the multi-MeV range would be sufficient. To generate coherent x rays with this mechanism a number of physics and technology issues must be addressed. Foremost among these are the stringent requirements placed on the electron beam quality and brightness as well as on the pump laser. The seed radiation for the laser-pumped FEL is the laser-induced spontaneous radiation. The evolution of incoherent radiation into coherent radiation as well as the power gain lengths associated with the coherent x rays are analyzed and discussed. There is excellent agreement between our analytical results and GENESIS simulations for the radiated power, gain length, conversion efficiency, linewidth, and saturation length. These issues, as well as others, necessary to achieve coherent amplified x rays in a laser-pumped FEL are discussed. While a coherent x-ray source would have a number of attractive features, the requirements placed on both the electron beam and pump laser are extremely challenging