Laser wakefield excitation and measurement by femtosecond longitudinal interferometry

Technical Report · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/238564· OSTI ID:238564

Siders, C W; Le Blanc, S P; Fisher, D; Tajima, T; Downer, M C ^[1]; Babine, A; Stepanov, A; Sergeev, A ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Dept. of Physics
2. Inst. of Applied Physics, Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation)

Plasma density oscillations (Langmuir waves) in the wake of an intense (I{sub peak} {approximately} 3 {times} 10{sup 17}W/cm{sup 2}) laser pulse (100 fs) are measured with ultrafast time resolution using a longitudinal interferometric technique. Phase shifts consistent with large amplitude ({delta}n{sub e}/n{sub e} {approximately} 1) density waves at the electron plasma frequency were observed in a fully tunnel-ionized He plasma, corresponding to longitudinal electric fields of {approximately} 10 GV/m. Strong radial ponderomotive forces enhance the density oscillations. As this technique utilizes a necessary component of any laser-based plasma accelerator, it promises to be a powerful tool for on-line monitoring and control of future plasma-based particle accelerators.

• Research Organization: Texas Univ., Austin, TX (United States). Inst. for Fusion Studies
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-96ER54346
• OSTI ID: 238564
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/54346--744; IFSR--744; ON: DE96010327
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DESIGN
HELIUM
INTERFEROMETRY
LASER RADIATION
ON-LINE SYSTEMS
PHASE SHIFT
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA WAVES
WAKEFIELD ACCELERATORS