Ultrahigh-intensity optical slow-wave structure for direct laser electron acceleration

Journal Article · Tue Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Journal of the Optical Society of America. Part B, Optical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.25.00B137· OSTI ID:21100327

York, Andrew G; Layer, B D; Palastro, J P; Antonsen, T M; Milchberg, H M ^[1]

---

1. Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)

We report the development of corrugated slow-wave plasma guiding structures with application to quasi-phase-matched direct laser acceleration of charged particles. These structures support guided propagation at intensities up to 2x10{sup 17} W/cm{sup 2}, limited at present by our current laser energy and side leakage. Hydrogen, nitrogen, and argon plasma waveguides up to 1.5 cm in length with a corrugation period as short as 35 {mu}m are generated in extended cryogenic cluster jet flows, with corrugation depth approaching 100%. These structures remove the limitations of diffraction, phase matching, and material damage thresholds and promise to allow high-field acceleration of electrons over many centimeters using relatively small femtosecond lasers. We present simulations that show that a laser pulse power of 1.9 TW should allow an acceleration gradient larger than 80 MV/cm. A modest power of only 30 GW would still allow acceleration gradients in excess of 10 MV/cm.

• OSTI ID: 21100327
• Journal Information: Journal of the Optical Society of America. Part B, Optical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of the Optical Society of America. Part B, Optical Physics Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 25; ISSN JOBPDE; ISSN 0740-3224
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
ARGON
CHARGED PARTICLES
DIFFRACTION
ELECTRONS
HYDROGEN
LASERS
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
NITROGEN
PLASMA
PLASMA GUNS
PULSES
SIMULATION
WAKEFIELD ACCELERATORS
WAVEGUIDES