| Paper | Title | Page |
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| THP094 | GeV Laser Wakefield Acceleration and Injection Control at LOASIS | 806 |
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Experiments at the LOASIS laboratory of LBNL have demonstrated production of GeV electron beams with low energy spread and divergence from laser wakefield acceleration. The pondermotive force of a 40 TW laser pulse guided by a 3 cm capillary discharge plasma density channel drove an intense plasma wave (wakefield), producing acceleration gradients on the order of 50 GV/m. Electrons were trapped from the background plasma and accelerated. Beam energy was increased from 100 to 1000 MeV*, compared to earlier experiments**, by using a longer guiding channel at low density, demonstrating the anticipated scaling to higher beam energies. Particle simulations are used to understand the trapping and acceleration mechanisms. Other experiments and simulations are also underway to control injection of particles into the wake, and hence improve beam quality and stability further. Recent experimental and simulation results from channel guided laser acceleration, and initial injection results, will be presented.
*W. P. Leemans et al, submitted. |