The effect of the vacuum-plasma transition and an injection angle on electron-bunch injection into a laser wakefield
- Faculty of Science and Technology and MESA Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands)
External injection of an electron bunch in the laser wakefield can result in femtosecond accelerated bunches with relatively low energy spread. In this paper it is shown that the density transition from vacuum to plasma can play an important role in the trapping process. The plasma wavelength in this transition region changes continuously, which means that the injected electrons see an altering wakefield. This can result in strong defocusing of the injected bunch. It is found that the effect becomes stronger for stronger wakefields, longer transition lengths, and lower injection energies. The transition region can be avoided if the bunch is injected into the wakefield at an angle. Injecting the bunch at an angle allows the bunch to be wider and results in more charge being trapped. The dynamics of the bunch in this case are similar to the dynamics of a bunch injected in front of the laser pulse.
- OSTI ID:
- 21072648
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 14, Issue 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2759885; (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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