Non-Maxwellian electron distributions resulting from direct laser acceleration in near-critical plasmas

The irradiation of few-nm-thick targets by a finite-contrast high-intensity short-pulse laser results in a strong pre-expansion of these targets at the arrival time of the main pulse.The targets decompress to near and lower than critical densities with plasmas extending over few micrometers,i.e.multiple wavelengths.The interaction of the main pulse with such a highly localized but inhomogeneous target leads to the generation of a short channel and further self-focusing of the laser beam.Experiments at the Glass Hybrid OPCPA Scaled Test-bed(GHOST)laser system at University of Texas,Austin using such targets measured non-Maxwellian,peaked electron distribution with large bunch charge and high electron density in the laser propagation direction.These results are reproduced in 2D PIC simulations using the EPOCH code,identifying direct laser acceleration(DLA)[1]as the responsible mechanism.This is the first time that DLA has been observed to produce peaked spectra as opposed to broad,Maxwellian spectra observed in earlier experiments[2].This high-density electrons have potential applications as injector beams for a further wakefield acceleration stage as well as for pump-probe applications.

Divergence angle consideration in energy spread measurement for high-quality relativistic electron beam in laser wakefield acceleration

The thorough exploration of the transverse quality represented by divergence angle has been lacking yet in the energy spread measurement of the relativistic electron beam for laser wakefield acceleration(LWFA). In this work, we fill this gap by numerical simulations based on the experimental data, which indicate that in a C-shape magnet, magnetic field possesses the beam focusing effect, considering that the divergence angle will result in an increase in the full width at half maxima(FWHM) of the electron density distribution in a uniformly isotropic manner, while the length-to-width ratio decreases. This indicates that the energy spread obtained from the electron deflection distance is smaller than the actual value, regardless of the divergence angle. A promising and efficient way to accurately correct the value is presented by considering the divergence angle(for instance, for an electron beam with a length-to-width ratio of 1.12, the energy spread correct from 1.2% to 1.5%), providing a reference for developing the high-quality electron beam source.

Effect of sharp vacuum-plasma boundary on the electron injection and acceleration in a few-cycle laser driven wakefield

The electron injection and acceleration driven by a few-cycle laser with a sharp vacuum-plasma boundary have been investigated through three-dimensional(3D)particle-in-cell simulations.It is found that an isotropic boundary impact injection(BII)first occurs at the vacuum-plasma boundary,and then carrier-envelope-phase(CEP)shift causes the transverse oscillation of the plasma bubble,resulting in a periodic electron self-injection(SI)in the laser polarization direction.It shows that the electron charge of the BII only accounts for a small part of the total charge,and the CEP can effectively tune the quality of the injected electron beam.The dependences of laser intensity and electron density on the total charge and the ratio of BII charge to the total charge are studied.The results are beneficial to electron acceleration and its applications,such as betatron radiation source.

Plasma density transition-based electron injection in laser wake field acceleration driven by a flying focus laser

By using a high-intensity flying focus laser,the dephasingless[Phys.Rev.Lett.124134802(2020)]or phase-locked[Nat.Photon.14475(2020)]laser wakefield acceleration(LWFA)can be realized,which may overcome issues of laser diffraction,pump depletion,and electron dephasing which are always suffered in usual LWFA.The scheme thus has the potentiality to accelerate electrons to Te V energy in a single acceleration stage.However,the controlled electron injection has not been self-consistently included in such schemes.Only external injection was suggested in previous theoretical studies,which requires other accelerators and is relatively difficulty to operate.Here,we numerically study the actively controlled density transition injection in phase-locked LWFA to get appropriate density profiles for amount of electron injection.The study shows that compared with LWFA driven by lasers with fixed focus,a larger plasma density gradient is necessary.Electrons experience both transverse and longitudinal loss during acceleration due to the superluminal group velocity of the driver and the variation of the wakefield structure.Furthermore,the periodic deformation and fracture of the flying focus laser in the high-density plasma plateau make the final injected charge also depend on the beginning position of the density downramp.Our studies show a possible way for amount of electron injection in LWFA driven by flying focus lasers.

On-chip ultrafast stackable dielectric laser positron accelerator

We present a first on-chip positron accelerator based on dielectric laser acceleration.This innovative approach significantly reduces the physical dimensions of the positron acceleration apparatus,enhancing its feasibility for diverse applications.By utilizing a stacked acceleration structure and far-infrared laser technology,we are able to achieve a seven-stage acceleration structure that surpasses the distance and energy gain of using the previous dielectric laser acceleration methods.Additionally,we are able to compress the positron beam to an ultrafast sub-femtosecond scale during the acceleration process,compared with the traditional methods,the positron beam is compressed to a greater extent.We also demonstrate the robustness of the stacked acceleration structure through the successful acceleration of the positron beam.

Electron acceleration by tightly focused radially polarized few-cycle laser pulses

Within the framework of plane-wave angular spectrum analysis of the electromagnetic field structure, a solution valid for tightly focused radially polarized few-cycle laser pulses propagating in vacuum is presented. The resulting field distribution is significantly different from that based on the paraxial approximation for pulses with either small or large beam diameters. We compare the electron accelerations obtained with the two solutions and find that the energy gain obtained with our new solution is usually much larger than that with the paraxial approximation solution.

Successive particle acceleration by use of two tightly focused ultra-short intense laser pulses

We suggest a scheme of electron acceleration by use of two tightly focused ultra-short intense laser pulses at a IOOTW level. Electroas obtain a preliminary acceleration with a small angular spread by the longitudinal ponderomotive force of the first pulse. They are then injected and further accelerated to hundreds of MeV by the second laser pulse.

Laser Wakefield Acceleration Using Mid-Infrared Laser Pulses

We study a laser wakefield acceleration driven by mid-infrared （mid-IR） laser pulses through two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. Since a mid-IR laser pulse can deliver a larger ponderomotive force as compared with the usual 0.8 μm wavelength laser pulse, it is found that electron self-injection into the wake wave occurs at an earlier time, the plasma density threshold for injection becomes lower, and the electron beam charge is substantially enhanced. Meanwhile, our study also shows that quasimonoenergetic electron beams with a narrow energy-spread can be generated by using mid-IR laser pulses. Such a mid-IR laser pulse can provide a feasible method for obtaining a high quality and high charge electron beam. Therefore, the current efforts on constructing mid-IR terawatt laser systems can greatly benefit the laser wakefield acceleration research.

Photonuclear production of nuclear isomers using bremsstrahlung induced by laser-wakefield electrons

In this study,we theoretically investigate the feasibility of using laser-wakefield accelerated(LWFA)electrons for the photonuclear measurement of nuclear isomers according to the characteristics of the electrons obtained from LWFA experiments conducted at the Compact Laser-Plasma Accelerator(CLAPA)laboratory.The experiments at the CLAPA show that a stable electron beam with an energy of 78-135 MeV and a charge of 300-600 pC can be obtained.The bremsstrahlung spectra were simulated using Geant4,which suggests that a bremsstrahlung source with a peak intensity of 10^(19) photons/s can be generated.Theoretical calculations of isomer production cross sections from the photonuclear reactions on six target nuclei,^(197)Au,^(180)Hf,^(159)Tb,^(115)In,^(103)Rh,and ^(90)Zr,were performed and compared with the available experimental data in EXFOR,which suggest that further experiments are required for a series of photonuclear reaction channels.Flux-averaged cross sections and isomer ratios(IR)resulting from such bremsstrahlung sources are theoretically deduced.The results suggest that IR measurements can be used to constrain nuclear components,such asγstrength function and optical model potential.In addition,the detection of the decay characteristics was evaluated with Geant4 simulations.The use of the LWFA electron beam and its bremsstrahlung for photonuclear studies involving nuclear isomers is anticipated.

Effect of multiple parameters on the supersonic gas-jet target characteristics for laser wakefield acceleration

The supersonic gas-jet target is an important experimental target for laser wakefield acceleration(LWFA),which has great potential for driving novel radiation sources such as betatron radiation and Compton scattering gamma rays.According to different electron acceleration requirements,it is necessary to provide specific supersonic gas jets with different density profiles to generate electron beams with high quality and high repetition rates.In this study,the interference images and density profiles of different gas-jet targets were obtained through a modified Nomarski interference diagnosis system.The relationships between the gas density and back pressure,nozzle structure,and other key parameters were studied.Targets with different characteristics are conducive to meeting the various requirements of LWFA.

Acceleration and radiation of externally injected electrons in laser plasma wakefield driven by a Laguerre-Gaussian pulse

By using three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, externally injected electron beam acceleration and radiation in donut-like wake fields driven by a Laguerre-Gaussian pulse are investigated. Studies show that in the acceleration process the total charge and azimuthal momenta of electrons can be stably maintained at a distance of a few hundreds of micrometers. Electrons experience low-frequency spiral rotation and high-frequency betatron oscillation, which leads to a synchrotron-like radiation. The radiation spectrum is mainly determined by the betatron motion of electrons. The far field distribution of radiation intensity shows axial symmetry due to the uniform transverse injection and spiral rotation of electrons. Our studies suggest a new way to simultaneously generate hollow electron beam and radiation source from a compact laser plasma accelerator.

Effects of density profile and multi-species target on laser-heated thermal-pressure-driven shock wave acceleration

The shock wave acceleration of ions driven by laser-heated thermal pressure is studied through one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation and analysis. The generation of high-energy mono-energetic protons in recent experiments （D. Haberberger et al., 2012 Nat. Phys. 8 95） is attributed to the use of exponentially decaying density profile of the plasma target. It does not only keep the shock velocity stable but also suppresses the normal target normal sheath acceleration. The effects of target composition are also examined, where a similar collective velocity of all ion species is demonstrated. The results also give some reference to future experiments of producing energetic heavy ions.

Structure and material study of dielectric laser accelerators based on the inverse Cherenkov effect

Dielectric laser accelerators(DLAs)are considered promising candidates for on-chip particle accelerators that can achieve high acceleration gradients.This study explores various combinations of dielectric materials and accelerated structures based on the inverse Cherenkov effect.The designs utilize conventional processing methods and laser parameters currently in use.We optimize the structural model to enhance the gradient of acceleration and the electron energy gain.To achieve higher acceleration gradients and energy gains,the selection of materials and structures should be based on the initial electron energy.Furthermore,we observed that the variation of the acceleration gradient of the material is different at different initial electron energies.These findings suggest that on-chip accelerators are feasible with the help of these structures and materials.

Structure study of a dielectric laser accelerator with discrete translational symmetry

The dielectric laser accelerator(DLA) is a promising technology for achieving high-gradient acceleration in a compact design. Its advantages include ease of cascading and an energy gain per unit distance which can exceed that of conventional accelerators by two orders of magnitude. This paper establishes rules for efficient particle acceleration using dielectric structures based on basic equations, proposes a design principle for DLA structures with clear physical images and verifies the accuracy of the corresponding formula for energy gain. DLA structures with different specifications, materials and geometric shapes are constructed, and the achievable acceleration gradient is calculated. Our results demonstrate that effective acceleration can be achieved when the electric field sensed by particles in the acceleration cavity has zero frequency,which provides a powerful method for designing such devices. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the simplified formula for calculating energy gain presented in this paper can accurately determine the energy gain of particles during the design of acceleration structures using a dielectric accelerator.

On-chip stackable dielectric laser accelerator

In this paper,we propose a novel stacked laser dielectric acceleration structure.This structure is based on the inverse Cherenkov effect and represented by a parametric design formulation.Compared to existing dielectric laser accelerators relying on the inverse Smith–Purcell effect,the proposed structure provides an extended-duration synchronous acceleration field without requiring the pulse front tilting technique.This advantage significantly reduces the required pulse duration.In addition,the easy to integrate layered structure facilitates cascade acceleration,and simulations have shown that low-energy electron beams can be cascaded through high gradients over extended distances.These practical advantages demonstrate the potential of this new structure for future chip accelerators.

Laser-driven relativistic electron dynamics in a cylindrical plasma channel

The energy and trajectory of the electron, which is irradiated by a high-power laser pulse in a cylindrical plasma channel with a uniform positive charge and a uniform negative current, have been analyzed in terms of a single-electron model of direct laser acceleration. We find that the energy and trajectory of the electron strongly depend on the positive charge density, the negative current density, and the intensity of the laser pulse. The electron can be accelerated significantly only when the positive charge density, the negative current density, and the intensity of the laser pulse are in suitable ranges due to the dephasing rate between the wave and electron motion. Particularly, when their values satisfy a critical condition. the electron can stay in phase with the laser and gain the largest energy from the laser. With the enhancement of the electron energy, strong modulations of the relativistic factor cause a considerable enhancement of the electron transverse oscillations across the channel, which makes the electron trajectory become essentially three-dimensional, even if it is flat at the early stage of the acceleration.

Developments in laser wakefield accelerators:From single-stage to two-stage

Laser wakefield accelerators（LWFAs） are compact accelerators which can produce femtosecond high-energy electron beams on a much smaller scale than the conventional radiofrequency accelerators. It is attributed to their high acceleration gradient which is about 3 orders of magnitude larger than the traditional ones. The past decade has witnessed the major breakthroughs and progress in developing the laser wakfield accelerators. To achieve the LWFAs suitable for applications,more and more attention has been paid to optimize the LWFAs for high-quality electron beams. A single-staged LWFA does not favor generating controllable electron beams beyond 1 Ge V since electron injection and acceleration are coupled and cannot be independently controlled. Staged LWFAs provide a promising route to overcome this disadvantage by decoupling injection from acceleration and thus the electron-beam quality as well as the stability can be greatly improved.This paper provides an overview of the physical conceptions of the LWFA, as well as the major breakthroughs and progress in developing LWFAs from single-stage to two-stage LWFAs.

Generation of fast protons in moderate-intensity laser-plasma interaction from rear sheath

Forward fast protons are generated by the moderate-intensity laser-foil interaction. Protons with maximum energy 190 keV are measured by using magnetic spectrometer and CR-39 solid state track detectors along the direction normal to the rear surface. The experimental results are also modeled by the paxticle-in-cell method, investigating the timevarying electron temperature and the rear sheath field. The temporal and spatial structure of the sheath electrical field, revealed in the simulation, suggests that these protons are accelerated by target normal sheath acceleration （TNSA） mechanism.

Beam Line Design of Compact Laser Plasma Accelerator

A compact laser plasma accelerator that is a novel accelerator based on the interaction of ultra-intense laser and plasmas is being built now at Peking University. According to the results of experiments and numerical simulations, a beam line combining the advantages of quadrupole and analyzing magnets is designed to deliver proton beams with energy ranging from 1 to 44MeV, energy spread within ±5% and 10^6-8 protons per pulse. It turns out that the existence of space charge force of protons can be ignored for the increase of transverse and longitudinal envelopes even in the case of 10^9 protons in one pulse. To cope with the challenge to obtain a uniform distribution of protons at the final experiment target in laser acceleration, we manipulate the envelope beam waist in the Y direction to a proper position and obtain a relatively good distribution uniformity of protons with an energy spread of 0-±5%0.

Preparation of graphene on SiC by laser-accelerated pulsed ion beams

Laser-accelerated ion beams(LIBs) have been increasingly applied in the field of material irradiation in recent years due to the unique properties of ultra-short beam duration, extremely high beam current, etc. Here we explore an application of using laser-accelerated ion beams to prepare graphene. The pulsed LIBs produced a great instantaneous beam current and thermal effect on the SiC samples with a shooting frequency of 1 Hz. In the experiment, we controlled the deposition dose by adjusting the number of shootings and the irradiating current by adjusting the distance between the sample and the ion source. During annealing at 1100℃, we found that the 190 shots ion beams allowed more carbon atoms to self-assemble into graphene than the 10 shots case. By comparing with the controlled experiment based on ion beams from a traditional ion accelerator, we found that the laser-accelerated ion beams could cause greater damage in a very short time. Significant thermal effect was induced when the irradiation distance was reduced to less than 1 cm, which could make partial SiC self-annealing to prepare graphene dots directly. The special effects of LIBs indicate their vital role to change the structure of the irradiation sample.