Generation of ultrafast electron bunch trains via trapping into multiple periods of plasma wakefields
Journal article, 2020
We demonstrate a novel approach to the generation of femtosecond electron bunch trains via laser-driven wakefield acceleration. We use two independent high-intensity laser pulses, a drive, and an injector, each creating their own plasma wakes. The interaction of the laser pulses and their wakes results in a periodic injection of free electrons in the drive plasma wake via several mechanisms, including ponderomotive drift, wake-wake interference, and pre-acceleration of electrons directly by strong laser fields. Electron trains were generated with up to four quasi-monoenergetic bunches, each separated in time by a plasma period. The time profile of the generated trains is deduced from an analysis of beam loading and confirmed using 2D particle-in-cell simulations.
Author
Grigory Golovin
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Vojtech Horny
Chalmers, Physics, Subatomic, High Energy and Plasma Physics
Czech Academy of Sciences
Wenchao Yan
Czech Academy of Sciences
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Colton Fruhling
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Daniel Haden
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Junzhi Wang
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Sudeep Banerjee
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Donald Umstadter
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Physics of Plasmas
1070-664X (ISSN) 1089-7674 (eISSN)
Vol. 27 3 033105Subject Categories
Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
Other Physics Topics
Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics
DOI
10.1063/1.5141953