Near-GeV-energy laser-wakefield acceleration of self-injected electrons in a centimeter-scale plasma channel

The first three-dimensional, particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of laser-wakefield acceleration of self-injected electrons in a 0.84 cm long plasma channel are reported. The frequency evolution of the initially 50 fs (FWHM) long laser pulse by photon interaction with the wake followed by plasma disp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2004-10, Vol.93 (18), p.185002.1-185002.4, Article 185002
Main Authors: TSUNG, F. S, NARANG, Ritesh, MORI, W. B, JOSHI, C, FONSECA, R. A, SILVA, L. O
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Exact sciences and technology
Laser-plasma interactions
Particle-in-cell method
Physics
Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges
Physics of plasmas and electric discharges
Plasma simulation
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Summary:The first three-dimensional, particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of laser-wakefield acceleration of self-injected electrons in a 0.84 cm long plasma channel are reported. The frequency evolution of the initially 50 fs (FWHM) long laser pulse by photon interaction with the wake followed by plasma dispersion enhances the wake which eventually leads to self-injection of electrons from the channel wall. This first bunch of electrons remains spatially highly localized. Its phase space rotation due to slippage with respect to the wake leads to a monoenergetic bunch of electrons with a central energy of 0.26 GeV after 0.55 cm propagation. At later times, spatial bunching of the laser enhances the acceleration of a second bunch of electrons to energies up to 0.84 GeV before the laser pulse intensity is significantly reduced.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.93.185002