OPTIMIZATION AND SINGLE-SHOT CHARACTERIZATION OF ULTRASHORT THz PULSES FROM A LASER WAKEFIELD ACCELERATOR

Conference · Mon May 04 04:00:00 EDT 2009

OSTI ID:972802

Plateau, G R; Matlis, N H; van Tilborg, J; Geddes, C G. R.; Toth, Cs; Schroeder, C B; Leemans, W P

We present spatiotemporal characterization of J-class ultrashort THz pulses generated from a laser wakefield accelerator (LWFA). Accelerated electrons, resulting from the interaction of a high-intensity laser pulse with a plasma, emit high-intensity THz pulses as coherent transition radiation. Such high peak-power THz pulses, suitable for high-field (MV/cm) pump-probe experiments, also provide a non-invasive bunch-length diagnostic and thus feedback for the accelerator. The characterization of the THz pulses includes energy measurement using a Golay cell, 2D sign-resolved electro-optic measurement and single-shot spatiotemporal electric-field distribution retrieval using a new technique, coined temporal electric-field cross-Correlation (TEX). All three techniques corroborate THz pulses of 5 muJ, with peak fields of 100's of kV/cm and ~;;0:4 ps rms duration.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: Accelerator& Fusion Research Division
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 972802
• Report Number(s): LBNL-2500E
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
ACCELERATORS
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRONS
FEEDBACK
LASERS
OPTIMIZATION
PEAK LOAD
PLASMA
TRANSITION RADIATION
WAKEFIELD ACCELERATORS
plasma laser wakefield acclerator