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Laser wakefield acceleration and relativistic optical guiding

Conference · · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (USA)
OSTI ID:6985165
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Plasma Theory Branch, Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375-5000 (US)

An electron acceleration method is investigated which employs a short ({tau}{sub {ital L}}{similar to}2{pi}{omega}{sup {minus}1}{sub {ital p}}{similar to}1 picosec), high power ({ital P}{ge}10{sup 15} W), single frequency laser pulse to generate large amplitude ({ital E}{ge}1 GeV/m) plasma waves (wakefields). A correctly placed trailing electron bunch can be accelerated by the longitudinal electric field and focused by the transverse electric field of the wake plasma waves. The acceleration distance of this laser wakefield is most severely limited by the diffraction length of the laser pulse. However, at sufficiently high laser powers ({ital P}{ge}17({omega}/{omega}{sub {ital p}}){sup 2}GW), relativistic optical guiding may be used to prevent the pulse from diffracting within the plasma. {copyright} 1989 American Institute of Physics

OSTI ID:
6985165
Report Number(s):
CONF-890197--
Journal Information:
AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (USA), Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (USA) Vol. 193:1; ISSN APCPC; ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English