An Investigation of Laser-wakefield Acceleration in the Hydrogen-filled Capillary Discharge Waveguide

An Investigation of Laser-wakefield Acceleration in the Hydrogen-filled Capillary Discharge Waveguide PDF Author: Thomas P. A. Ibbotson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Laser-plasma interactions
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This thesis describes a detailed investigation into the process of laser-wakefield acceleration (LWFA) for the generation of high-energy electron beams using the hydrogen-filled capillary discharge waveguide. In only the second experiment to be performed using the newly commissioned Astra-Gemini laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, electron beams were accelerated to energies greater than 0.5 GeV by laser pulses of energy 2.5J and peak power of 30T\~T. The injec- tion and acceleration of electron beams was seen to depend on the state of the plasma channel for axial electron densities less than 2.5 x 1018 cm -3. With the aid of simulations performed using the code WAKE it was found that the plasma channel allows the laser pulse to maintain its self-focussed spot size along the length of the capillary even below the critical power for self-guiding. It was found that the threshold laser energy required for the production of elec- tron beams was reduced by the use of an aperture placed early in the laser system. This was attributed to the increased energy contained in the central part of the focal spot of the laser. A short paper on this work was published in Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams and a longer paper was published in the New Journal of Physics. Transverse interferometry was used to measure the electron density of the plasma channel used in the Astra-Gemini experiments. An imaging system was devised which used cylindrical optics to increase the field of view of the capillary longitudinally, whilst maintaining the trans- verse resolution. The measured properties were consistent with previous measurements made by Gonsalves et al. [J]. The observed longitudinal variations in the plasma channel parameters were not found to be significant enough to affect the injection process.

An Investigation of Laser-wakefield Acceleration in the Hydrogen-filled Capillary Discharge Waveguide

An Investigation of Laser-wakefield Acceleration in the Hydrogen-filled Capillary Discharge Waveguide PDF Author: Thomas P. A. Ibbotson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Laser-plasma interactions
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This thesis describes a detailed investigation into the process of laser-wakefield acceleration (LWFA) for the generation of high-energy electron beams using the hydrogen-filled capillary discharge waveguide. In only the second experiment to be performed using the newly commissioned Astra-Gemini laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, electron beams were accelerated to energies greater than 0.5 GeV by laser pulses of energy 2.5J and peak power of 30T\~T. The injec- tion and acceleration of electron beams was seen to depend on the state of the plasma channel for axial electron densities less than 2.5 x 1018 cm -3. With the aid of simulations performed using the code WAKE it was found that the plasma channel allows the laser pulse to maintain its self-focussed spot size along the length of the capillary even below the critical power for self-guiding. It was found that the threshold laser energy required for the production of elec- tron beams was reduced by the use of an aperture placed early in the laser system. This was attributed to the increased energy contained in the central part of the focal spot of the laser. A short paper on this work was published in Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams and a longer paper was published in the New Journal of Physics. Transverse interferometry was used to measure the electron density of the plasma channel used in the Astra-Gemini experiments. An imaging system was devised which used cylindrical optics to increase the field of view of the capillary longitudinally, whilst maintaining the trans- verse resolution. The measured properties were consistent with previous measurements made by Gonsalves et al. [J]. The observed longitudinal variations in the plasma channel parameters were not found to be significant enough to affect the injection process.

Laser Wakefield Acceleration in the Hydrogen-filled Capillary Discharge Waveguide

Laser Wakefield Acceleration in the Hydrogen-filled Capillary Discharge Waveguide PDF Author: Thomas Rowlands-Rees
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Electron beams
Languages : en
Pages : 328

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Book Description


Experimental Study of Self-trapping in Capillary Discharge Guided Laser Wakefield Acceleration

Experimental Study of Self-trapping in Capillary Discharge Guided Laser Wakefield Acceleration PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Laser wakefield acceleration experiments were carried out using hydrogen-filled capillary discharge waveguides. For a 33 mm long, 300 mu m capillary, parameter regimes with high energy electron beams (up to 1 GeV) and stable 0.5 GeV were found. In the high energy regime, the electron beam peak energy was correlated with the number of trapped electrons. For a 15 mm long, 200 mu m diameter capillary, quasi-monoenergetic e beams up to 300 MeV were observed. By de-tuning discharge delay from optimum guiding performance, self-trapping was found to be stabilized.

Analysis of Capillary Guided Laser Plasma Accelerator Experiments at LBNL.

Analysis of Capillary Guided Laser Plasma Accelerator Experiments at LBNL. PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 8

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Book Description
Laser wakefield acceleration experiments were carried out by using a hydrogen-filled capillary discharge waveguide. For a 15 mm long, 200 micrometer diameter capillary, quasi-monoenergetic e-beams up to 300 MeV were observed. By de-tuning discharge delay from optimum guiding performance, self-trapping was found to be stabilized. For a 33 mm long, 300 micrometer capillary, a parameter regime with high energy electron beams, up to 1 GeV, was found. In this regime, the electron beam peak energy was correlated with the amount of trapped electrons.

Experimental Study of Laser-driven Electron and Proton Acceleration

Experimental Study of Laser-driven Electron and Proton Acceleration PDF Author: Salima Abuazoum
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This thesis addresses two important topics in the field of laser-driven plasma accelerators. Firstly, the research investigates the generation of relativistic electron beams through laser-wakefield acceleration (LWFA) by applying novel tapered capillary discharge waveguide accelerators, produced by femtosecond laser micromachining. A stable plasma waveguide is formed in a hydrogen-filled capillary driven by an all-solid state high-voltage pulser, specially constructed for this purpose. A longitudinal density taper has been confirmed by measurement of the transverse plasma density profiles at both ends of the waveguide and efficient guiding of low intensity (~1012 W/cm2), ultra-short duration (50 fs) laser pulses is demonstrated. For optimal high-power laser conditions (intensity of 1.6 x 1018 W/cm2), electron beams are produced and compared in positively tapered, negatively tapered and straight capillaries with similar plasma densities of 3-6 x 1018 cm-3 over a length of 4 cm. In all three capillaries, low charge (

Investigation of Staged Laser-Plasma Acceleration

Investigation of Staged Laser-Plasma Acceleration PDF Author: Satomi Shiraishi
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319085697
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 133

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Book Description
This thesis establishes an exciting new beginning for Laser Plasma Accelerators (LPAs) to further develop toward the next generation of compact high energy accelerators. Design, installation and commissioning of a new experimental setup at LBNL played an important role and are detailed through three critical components: e-beam production, reflection of laser pulses with a plasma mirror and large wake excitation below electron injection threshold. Pulses from a 40 TW peak power laser system were split into a 25 TW pulse and a 15 TW pulse. The first pulse was used for e-beam production in the first module and the second pulse was used for wake excitation in the second module to post-accelerate the e-beam. As a result, reliable e-beam production and efficient wake excitation necessary for the staged acceleration were independently demonstrated. These experiments have laid the foundation for future staging experiments at the 40 TW peak power level.

Laser Wakefield Acceleration of Electrons to GeV Energies and Temporal Laser Pulse Compression Characterization in a Capillary Discharge Waveguide

Laser Wakefield Acceleration of Electrons to GeV Energies and Temporal Laser Pulse Compression Characterization in a Capillary Discharge Waveguide PDF Author: Paul Andreas Walker
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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LASER WAKEFIELD ACCELERATION DRIVEN BY ATF CO2 LASER (STELLA-LW).

LASER WAKEFIELD ACCELERATION DRIVEN BY ATF CO2 LASER (STELLA-LW). PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
A new experiment has begun that builds upon the successful Staged Electron Laser Acceleration (STELLA) experiment, which demonstrated high-trapping efficiency and narrow energy spread in a staged laser-driven accelerator. STELLA was based upon inverse free electron lasers (IFEL); the new experiment, called STELLA-LW, is based upon laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). The first phase of STELLA-LW will be to demonstrate LWFA in a capillary discharge driven by the Brookhaven National Laboratory Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) terawatt CO[sub 2] laser beam. This will be the first time LWFA is conducted at 10.6-[micro]m laser wavelength. It will also be operating in an interesting pseudo-resonant regime where the laser pulse length is too long for resonant LWFA, but too short for self-modulated LWFA. Analysis has shown that in pseudo-resonant LWFA, pulse-steepening effects occur on the laser pulse that permits generation of strong wakefields. Various approaches are being explored for the capillary discharge including polypropylene and hydrogen-filled capillaries. Planned diagnostics for the experiment include coherent Thomson scattering (CTS) to detect the wakefield generation. This will be one of the first times CTS is used on a capillary discharge.

Inertial Fusion Sciences and Applications 2003

Inertial Fusion Sciences and Applications 2003 PDF Author: B. A. Hammel
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Controlled fusion
Languages : en
Pages : 1158

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Book Description


The Physics Of Laser Plasma Interactions

The Physics Of Laser Plasma Interactions PDF Author: William Kruer
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1000754464
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 176

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Book Description
This book focuses on the physics of laser plasma interactions and presents a complementary and very useful numerical model of plasmas. It describes the linear theory of light wave propagation in plasmas, including linear mode conversion into plasma waves and collisional damping.