Optimization of THz Radiation Generation from a Laser Wakefield Accelerator

Journal Article · Thu Jan 22 04:00:00 EST 2009 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3080994· OSTI ID:21255305

Plateau, G R ^[1]; Matlis, N H; Toth, C; Geddes, C G. R.; Schroeder, C B; Tilborg, J van ^[1]; Albert, O ^[2]; Esarey, E; Leemans, W P ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
2. Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquee, Palaiseau 91761 (France)

Ultrashort terahertz pulses with energies in the {mu}J range can be generated with laser wakefield accelerators (LWFA), which are novel, compact accelerators that produce ultrashort electron bunches with energies up to 1 GeV and energy spreads of a few-percent. Laser pulses interacting with a plasma create accelerated electrons which upon exiting the plasma emit terahertz pulses via transition radiation. Because these electron bunches are ultrashort (<50 fs), they can radiate coherently (coherent transition radiation--CTR) in a wide bandwidth ({approx}1-10 THz) yielding high intensity terahertz pulses. In addition to providing a non-invasive bunch-length diagnostic and thus feedback for the LWFA, these high peak power THz pulses are suitable for high field (MV/cm) pump-probe experiments. Here we present energy-based measurements using a Golay cell and an electro-optic technique which were used to characterize these THz pulses.

• OSTI ID: 21255305
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 1086; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ELECTRONS
FEEDBACK
LASERS
OPTIMIZATION
PEAK LOAD
PLASMA
PULSES
TRANSITION RADIATION
WAKEFIELD ACCELERATORS