Guiding of High Intensity Laser Pulses in Straight and Curved Plasma Channel Experiments

Abstract

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Nonlinear plasma wave in magnetized plasmas

“…Strong magnetic fields can change the whole scenario of the laser plasma interaction [20] and, in particular, they can modify the charged particle acceleration by electrostatic waves [21,22] and the injection [23]. The magnetic field with required for the injection enhancement symmetry can be produced inside capillary plasma targets used for laser pulse guiding [24]. Imposed external homogeneous magnetic fields can significantly improve the quality and stability of the laser wakefield accelerated electrons [25].…”

Guiding of Relativistic Laser Pulses by Preformed Plasma Channels

“…Relativistic self guiding is least effective for pulses not much longer than the plasma period, [24], as used for most laser acceleration experiments, limiting acceleration distance to ≈ Z R [7]. Previous controlled guiding experiments have demonstrated guiding for input pulse intensities at up to 2 × 10 17 W/cm 2 , where relativistic effects are unimportant and a parabolic transverse density profile can be matched to guide the low intensity pulse [25][26][27][28][29]. Guiding of high intensity pulses where compensation for self guiding is important has, however, not been studied experimentally.…”

Practical approach to monochromatic LWFA

“…Note that λ p and k p are defined at the axis of the plasma channel that has the profile ( ) In the preliminary simulations discussed in this section, we considered the 50 MeV injected electron bunch with the energy spread 0.2%, geometric emittance of 3 mm.mrad, and the 30 µm (100 fs) length. These experimental conditions can be practically realized at the BNL ATF using a combination of the prospective ps-TW CO 2 laser, a compact high-brightness linac, and a plasma channel produced by the highcurrent capillary discharge in vacuum [17].…”