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Title: High flux femtosecond x-ray emission from the electron-hose instability in laser wakefield accelerators

Journal Article · · Physical Review Accelerators and Beams
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3]
  1. Princeton Univ., Princeton, NJ (United States). Princeton Plasma Physics Lab.; Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
  2. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
  3. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Lancaster Univ., Lancaster (United Kingdom)

Here, bright and ultrashort duration x-ray pulses can be produced by through betatron oscillations of electrons during laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). Our experimental measurements using the Hercules laser system demonstrate a dramatic increase in x-ray flux for interaction distances beyond the depletion/dephasing lengths, where the initial electron bunch injected into the first wake bucket catches up with the laser pulse front and the laser pulse depletes. A transition from an LWFA regime to a beam-driven plasma wakefield acceleration regime consequently occurs. The drive electron bunch is susceptible to the electron-hose instability and rapidly develops large amplitude oscillations in its tail, which leads to greatly enhanced x-ray radiation emission. We measure the x-ray flux as a function of acceleration length using a variable length gas cell. 3D particle-in-cell simulations using a Monte Carlo synchrotron x-ray emission algorithm elucidate the time-dependent variations in the radiation emission processes.

Research Organization:
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0002372; 1054164; FA9550-12-1-0310
OSTI ID:
1434406
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1436752
Journal Information:
Physical Review Accelerators and Beams, Vol. 21, Issue 4; ISSN 2469-9888
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 3 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (2)

Hybrid LWFA–PWFA staging as a beam energy and brightness transformer: conceptual design and simulations
  • Martinez de la Ossa, A.; Assmann, R. W.; Bussmann, M.
  • Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Vol. 377, Issue 2151 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2018.0175
journal June 2019
Hybrid LWFA $\vert$ PWFA Staging as a Beam Energy and Brightness Transformer : Conceptual Design and Simulations text January 2019

Figures / Tables (4)