First Observations of Laser-Driven Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum Space

Title: First Observations of Laser-Driven Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum Space

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Abstract

We have observed acceleration of relativistic electrons in vacuum driven by a linearly polarized visible laser beam incident on a thin gold-coated reflective boundary. The observed energy modulation effect follows all the characteristics expected for linear acceleration caused by a longitudinal electric field. As predicted by the Lawson-Woodward theorem the laser driven modulation only appears in the presence of the boundary. It shows a linear dependence with the strength of the electric field of the laser beam and also it is critically dependent on the laser polarization. Finally, it appears to follow the expected angular dependence of the inverse transition radiation process. experiment as the Laser Electron Accelerator Project (LEAP).

Authors:: Plettner, T.; Byer, R.L.; Smith, T.I.; /Stanford U., Phys. Dept.; Colby, E.; Cowan, B.; Sears, C.M.S.; Spencer, J.E.; Siemann, R.H.; /SLAC

Publication Date:: Fri Feb 17 00:00:00 EST 2006

Research Org.:: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 876442

Report Number(s):: SLAC-PUB-11647
TRN: US200606%%659

DOE Contract Number:: AC02-76SF00515

Resource Type:: Conference

Resource Relation:: Conference: Contributed to2005 Particle Accelerator Conference, , 5/16/2005-5/20/2005

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; ACCELERATION; ACCELERATORS; ELECTRIC FIELDS; ELECTRONS; LASERS; MODULATION; POLARIZATION; TRANSITION RADIATION; Accelerators,ACCPHY

Citation Formats


                    Plettner, T., Byer, R.L., Smith, T.I., /Stanford U., Phys. Dept., Colby, E., Cowan, B., Sears, C.M.S., Spencer, J.E., Siemann, R.H., and /SLAC. First Observations of Laser-Driven Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum Space.  United States: N. p., 2006. 
        Web.

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                    Plettner, T., Byer, R.L., Smith, T.I., /Stanford U., Phys. Dept., Colby, E., Cowan, B., Sears, C.M.S., Spencer, J.E., Siemann, R.H., & /SLAC. First Observations of Laser-Driven Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum Space.  United States.

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                    Plettner, T., Byer, R.L., Smith, T.I., /Stanford U., Phys. Dept., Colby, E., Cowan, B., Sears, C.M.S., Spencer, J.E., Siemann, R.H., and /SLAC. Fri .  
        "First Observations of Laser-Driven Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum Space".  United States.  
        doi:.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/876442.

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@article{osti_876442,

  title        = {First Observations of Laser-Driven Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum Space},

  author       = {Plettner, T. and Byer, R.L. and Smith, T.I. and /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. and Colby, E. and Cowan, B. and Sears, C.M.S. and Spencer, J.E. and Siemann, R.H. and /SLAC},

  abstractNote = {We have observed acceleration of relativistic electrons in vacuum driven by a linearly polarized visible laser beam incident on a thin gold-coated reflective boundary. The observed energy modulation effect follows all the characteristics expected for linear acceleration caused by a longitudinal electric field. As predicted by the Lawson-Woodward theorem the laser driven modulation only appears in the presence of the boundary. It shows a linear dependence with the strength of the electric field of the laser beam and also it is critically dependent on the laser polarization. Finally, it appears to follow the expected angular dependence of the inverse transition radiation process. experiment as the Laser Electron Accelerator Project (LEAP).},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},

  number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Fri Feb 17 00:00:00 EST 2006},

  month        = {Fri Feb 17 00:00:00 EST 2006}

}

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Proof-Of-Principle Experiment for Laser-Driven Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum

Plettner, T. ; Byer, R.L. ; /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. ; ... - Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams

We recently achieved the first experimental observation of laser-driven particle acceleration of relativistic electrons from a single Gaussian near-infrared laser beam in a semi-infinite vacuum. This article presents an in-depth account of key aspects of the experiment. An analysis of the transverse and longitudinal forces acting on the electron beam is included. A comparison of the observed data to the acceleration viewed as an inverse transition radiation process is presented. This is followed by a detailed description of the components of the experiment and a discussion of future measurements.
Full Text Available
First Observation of Laser-Driven Particle Acceleration in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum Space

Plettner, T. ; Byer, R.L. ; /Stanford U., Ginzton Lab. ; ...

No abstract prepared.
DOI: 10.2172/877464

Full Text Available
Visible-Laser Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum

Plettner, T. ; Byer, R.L. ; /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. ; ... - Physical Review Letters

No abstract prepared.
Visible-Laser Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum

Plettner, T. ; Byer, R.L. ; Colby, E. ; ... - Physical Review Letters

We demonstrate a new particle acceleration mechanism using 800 nm laser radiation to accelerate relativistic electrons in a semi-infinite vacuum. The experimental demonstration is the first of its kind and is a proof of principle for the concept of laser-driven particle acceleration in a structure loaded vacuum. We observed up to 30 keV energy modulation over a distance of 1000{lambda}, corresponding to a 40 MeV/m peak gradient. The energy modulation was observed to scale linearly with the laser electric field and showed the expected laser-polarization dependence. Furthermore, as expected, laser acceleration occurred only in the presence of a boundary thatmore »« less
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.134801
Analysis of Laser Acceleration in a Semi-infinite Space as Inverse Transition Radiation

Plettner, T ; /SLAC

This article calculates the energy gain of a single relativistic electron interacting with a single gaussian beam that is terminated by a metallic reflector at normal incidence by two different methods: the electric field integral along the path of the electron, and the overlap integral of the transition radiation pattern from the conductive foil with the laser beam. It is shown that for this instance the two calculation methods yield the same expression for the expected energy change of the electron.
DOI: 10.2172/878026

Full Text Available