Generation of attosecond electron bunches and x-ray pulses from few-cycle femtosecond laser pulses
Journal article, 2021

Laser-plasma electron accelerators can be used to produce high-intensity x-rays, as electrons accelerated in wakefields emit radiation due to betatron oscillations. Such x-ray sources inherit the features of the electron beam; sub-femtosecond electron bunches produce betatron sources of the same duration, which in turn allow probing matter on ultrashort time scales. In this paper we show, via Particle-in-Cell simulations, that attosecond electron bunches can be obtained using low-energy, ultra-short laser beams both in the self-injection and the controlled injection regimes at low plasma densities. However, only in the controlled regime does the electron injection lead to a stable, isolated attosecond electron bunch. Such ultrashort electron bunches are shown to emit attosecond x-ray bursts with high brilliance.

sub-femtosecond electron beams

betatron radiation

PIC simulation

laser wakefield acceleration

Author

Julien Ferri

University of Gothenburg

Chalmers, Physics, Subatomic, High Energy and Plasma Physics

Vojtech Horny

Chalmers, Physics, Subatomic, High Energy and Plasma Physics

Tünde Fülöp

Chalmers, Physics, Subatomic, High Energy and Plasma Physics

Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion

0741-3335 (ISSN) 1361-6587 (eISSN)

Vol. 63 4 045019

Running away and radiating (PLASMA)

European Commission (EC) (EC/H2020/647121), 2015-10-01 -- 2020-09-30.

Subject Categories

Accelerator Physics and Instrumentation

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics

DOI

10.1088/1361-6587/abe885

More information

Latest update

3/2/2022 3