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Raman Amplification with a Flying Focus

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States); Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester
  2. Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States)

Here, we propose a new laser amplifier scheme utilizing stimulated Raman scattering in plasma in conjunction with a "flying focus" - a chromatic focusing system combined with a chirped pump beam that provides spatiotemporal control over the pump's focal spot. Pump intensity isosurfaces are made to propagate at v=-c so as to be in sync with the injected counterpropagating seed pulse. By setting the pump intensity in the interaction region to be just about the ionization threshold of the background gas, an ionization wave is produced that travels at a fixed distance ahead of the seed. Simulations show that this will make it possible to optimize the plasma temperature and mitigate many of the issues that are known to have impacted previous Raman amplification experiments, in particular, the growth of precursors.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0001944
OSTI ID:
1417648
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1416843
Report Number(s):
2017-179, 1366; 2017-179, 2322, 1366
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 120; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (27)

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Cited By (17)

Optical space-time wave packets having arbitrary group velocities in free space journal February 2019
Spatiotemporal control of laser intensity journal March 2018
Enhancement and control of laser wakefields via a backward Raman amplifier journal May 2018
Cascaded chirped photon acceleration for efficient frequency conversion journal May 2018
Stimulated Raman near-backscattering with a pulse-front-tilted pump journal September 2018
Flying focus: Spatial and temporal control of intensity for laser-based applications journal March 2019
Stimulated Raman backscattering amplification with a low-intensity pump journal October 2019
Compression of laser pulses by near-forward Raman amplification in plasma journal January 2020
Flying focus and its application to plasma-based laser amplifiers journal November 2018
Ionization waves of arbitrary velocity driven by a flying focus journal March 2018
Ionization Waves of Arbitrary Velocity journal May 2018
Dephasingless Laser Wakefield Acceleration journal March 2020
Simultaneous polarization transformation and amplification of multi-petawatt laser pulses in magnetized plasmas journal January 2019
Control of laser light by a plasma immersed in a tunable strong magnetic field journal January 2019
Controlling the velocity of a femtosecond laser pulse using refractive lenses journal January 2020
Ionization waves of arbitrary velocity driven by a flying focus text January 2017
Simultaneous polarization transformation and amplification of multi-petawatt laser pulses in magnetized plasmas text January 2019

Figures / Tables (5)


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