Preformed transient gas channels for laser wakefield particle acceleration
Acceleration of electrons by laser-driven plasma wake fields is limited by the range over which a laser pulse can maintain its intensity. This distance is typically given by the Rayleigh range for the focused laser beam, usually on the order of 0.1 mm to 1 mm. For practical particle acceleration, interaction distances on the order of centimeters are required. Therefore, some means of guiding high intensity laser pulses is necessary. Light intensities on the order of a few times 10{sup 17} W/cm{sup 2} are required for laser wakefield acceleration schemes using near IR radiation. Gas densities on the order of or greater than 10{sup 17} cm{sup {minus}3} are also needed. Laser-atom interaction studies in this density and intensity regime are generally limited by the concomitant problems in beam propagation introduced by the creation of a plasma. In addition to the interaction distance limit imposed by the Rayleigh range, defocusing of the high intensity laser pulse further limits the peak intensity which can be achieved. To solve the problem of beam propagation limitations in laser-plasma wakefield experiments, two potential methods for creating transient propagation channels in gaseous targets are investigated. The first involves creation of a charge-neutral channel in a gas by an initial laser pulse, which then is ionized by a second, ultrashort, high-intensity pulse to create a waveguide. The second method involves the ionization of a gas column by an ultrashort pulse; a transient waveguide is formed by the subsequent expansion of the heated plasma into the neutral gas.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 10193967
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-94-3462; CONF-941062-2; CONF-9411120-1; ON: DE95002707; TRN: 94:023899
- Resource Relation:
- Journal Volume: 356; Conference: Annual meeting of the Optical Society of America,Dallas, TX (United States); Austin, TX (United States),2-7 Oct 1994; 14-16 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Experimental studies of laser guiding and wake excitation in plasma channels
Preformed transient gas channels for laser wakefield particle acceleration