Author: Lin, M.W.
Paper Title Page
THPML018 Modeling of Self-Modulated Laser Wakefield Acceleration Driven by Sub-Terawatt Laser Pulses 4690
SUSPF035   use link to see paper's listing under its alternate paper code  
 
  • C.-Y. Hsieh, S.-H. Chen
    NCU, Chung Li, Taiwan
  • M.W. Lin
    National Tsing-Hua University (NTHU), Hsinchu, Taiwan
 
  Funding: This work has been supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology in Taiwan by grant MOST104-2112-M-008-013-MY3 and by grant MOST105-2112-M-007-036-MY3.
Laser wakefield accelerator (LWFA) can be achieved in a scheme in which a sub-terawatt (TW) laser pulse is introduced into a thin, high-density target*. As a result, the self-focusing and the self-modulation can greatly enhance the peak intensity of the laser pulse capable of exciting a nonlinear plasma wave to accelerate electrons. A particle-in-cell model was developed to study the sub-TW LWFA, in which a 0.6-TW laser pulse is injected into a hydrogen gas cell with a flat-top density profile. In addition to using 800-nm laser pulses, laser pulses of 1030 nm were used in simulations as they represent a viable approach to realize the sub-TW LWFA driven by high-frequency, diode-pumped laser systems**. Process of the electron injection is complicated in such a high-density plasma; however, the simulation results show that the appropriate injection and acceleration of electrons can be achieved by optimizing the length of the gas cell. When a 340-micrometer long gas cell is introduced, energetic electrons (> 1 MeV) are produced with a relatively low emittance of 3.5 pi-mm-mrad and a total charge of 0.32 nC accordingly.
* A. J. Goers et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 194802 (2015).
** E. Kaksis et al., Opt. Express 24, 25, 28915 (2016).
 
DOI • reference for this paper ※ https://doi.org/10.18429/JACoW-IPAC2018-THPML018  
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