Experimental demonstration of laser acceleration of electrons via relativistic plasma waves

Chris E. Clayton; Kenneth A. Marsh; A. Dyson; Matthew J. Everett; Amit K. Lal; Wim P. Leemans; Ronald L. Williams; Chand J. Joshi

doi:10.1117/12.147584

8 July 1993 Experimental demonstration of laser acceleration of electrons via relativistic plasma waves

Chris E. Clayton, Kenneth A. Marsh, A. Dyson, Matthew J. Everett, Amit K. Lal, Wim P. Leemans, Ronald L. Williams, Chand J. Joshi

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 1860, Short-Pulse High-Intensity Lasers and Applications II; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.147584
Event: OE/LASE'93: Optics, Electro-Optics, and Laser Applications in Scienceand Engineering, 1993, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

A two-frequency CO₂ laser beam was used to beat-excite a large amplitude electron plasma wave in a resonant density plasma. The accelerating fields of the relativistic plasma wave were probed with collinear injected 2.1 MeV electrons from an electron linac. Some electrons gained at least 7 MeV in traversing the approximately 1 cm length of the beat wave accelerator, with the measurement limited by the 9.1 MeV high energy cut-off of the detection system. The corresponding average acceleration gradient is > 0.7 GeV/m and the average wave amplitude n₁/n₀ is > 8%. Estimates based on collective Thomson scattering indicate that peak wave amplitudes of 15 - 30% may have been achieved.

Citation Download Citation

Chris E. Clayton, Kenneth A. Marsh, A. Dyson, Matthew J. Everett, Amit K. Lal, Wim P. Leemans, Ronald L. Williams, and Chand J. Joshi "Experimental demonstration of laser acceleration of electrons via relativistic plasma waves", Proc. SPIE 1860, Short-Pulse High-Intensity Lasers and Applications II, (8 July 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.147584

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