All-optical density downramp injection in electron-driven plasma wakefield accelerators

Tools

Ullmann, D. and Scherkl, P. and Knetsch, A. and Heinemann, T. and Sutherland, A. and Habib, A. F. and Karger, O. S. and Beaton, A. and Manahan, G. G. and Deng, A. and Andonian, G. and Litos, M. D. and OShea, B. D. and Bruhwiler, D. L. and Cary, J. R. and Hogan, M. J. and Yakimenko, V. and Rosenzweig, J. B. and Hidding, B. (2020) All-optical density downramp injection in electron-driven plasma wakefield accelerators. Preprint / Working Paper. arXiv.org, Ithaca, N.Y..

[thumbnail of Ulmann-etal-ArXiv-2020-All-optical-density-downramp-injection-in-electron-driven]
Preview
 Text. Filename: Ulmann_etal_ArXiv_2020_All_optical_density_downramp_injection_in_electron_driven.pdf
Final Published Version
Download (4MB)| Preview

Abstract

Injection of well-defined, high-quality electron populations into plasma waves is a key challenge of plasma wakefield accelerators. Here, we report on the first experimental demonstration of plasma density downramp injection in an electron-driven plasma wakefield accelerator, which can be controlled and tuned in all-optical fashion by mJ-level laser pulses. The laser pulse is directed across the path of the plasma wave before its arrival, where it generates a local plasma density spike in addition to the background plasma by tunnelling ionization of a high ionization threshold gas component. This density spike distorts the plasma wave during the density downramp, causing plasma electrons to be injected into the plasma wave. By tuning the laser pulse energy and shape, highly flexible plasma density spike profiles can be designed, enabling dark current free, versatile production of high-quality electron beams. This in turn permits creation of unique injected beam configurations such as counter-oscillating twin beamlets.

ORCID iDs

Ullmann, D., Scherkl, P. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7505-3786, Knetsch, A., Heinemann, T., Sutherland, A., Habib, A. F. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2108-8702, Karger, O. S., Beaton, A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2950-3771, Manahan, G. G. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5570-3238, Deng, A., Andonian, G., Litos, M. D., OShea, B. D., Bruhwiler, D. L., Cary, J. R., Hogan, M. J., Yakimenko, V., Rosenzweig, J. B. and Hidding, B. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5827-0041;
  • Item type:Monograph(Preprint / Working Paper)
    ID code:74322
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    24 July 2020
    Published
    Subjects:Science > Physics
    Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:20 Oct 2020 15:22
    Last modified:15 Dec 2024 01:12
    Related URLs:
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/74322
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)