Oxford Centre for High Energy Density Science (OxCHEDS)

Abstract:

Results are presented on the generation of quasimonoenergetic electron beams with energy up to 1GeV using a 40TW laser and a 3.3 cm-long hydrogen-filled capillary discharge waveguide [1, 2]. Electron beams were not observed without a plasma channel, indicating that self-focusing alone could not be relied upon for effective guiding of the laser pulse. Results are presented of the electron beam spectra, and the dependence of the reliability of producing electron beams as a function of laser and plasma parameters. ©2007 IEEE.

Abstract:

An intense laser pulse interacting with a near discontinuous plasma vacuum interface causes the plasma surface to perform relativistic oscillations. The reflected laser radiation then contains very high order harmonics of fundamental frequency and - according to current theory - must be bunched in radiation bursts of a few attoseconds duration. Recent experimental results have demonstrated x-ray harmonic radiation extending to 3.3 (3.8 keV, order n > 3200) with the harmonic conversion efficiency scaling as η(n) n -2.5 over the entire observed spectrum ranging from 17 nm to 3.3 . This scaling holds up to a maximum order, nRO 81/2γ 3, where γ is the peak value of the Lorentz factor, above which the harmonic efficiency decreases more rapidly. The coherent nature of the generated harmonics is demonstrated by the highly directional beamed emission, which for photon energy h ν > 1 keV is found to be into a cone angle ∼4°, significantly less than that of the incident laser cone (20°). © 2007 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Abstract:

The study of fast electrons generated in laser-matter interactions and their transport through matter is of great interest for the fast ignition concept in the inertial confinement fusion. A typical experimental approach is the interaction of intense laser radiation with foil targets. The transport of the electrons through the foil can be studied with several techniques including X-ray emission measurements and direct measurements on electrons leaving the foil. Some laser-matter interaction features can be monitored using spectroscopy in the visible range. Here we will focus our attention on some of the experimental techniques that have been used in laser-foil experiments at ILIL laboratory in Pisa and in a VULCAN Petawatt experiment at RAL. In particular we will describe high resolution X-ray spectroscopy with a bent crystal, K-alpha flux measurements, direct measurements of the angular distribution and spectrum of the electrons, and spectroscopy of the 3/2ω and 2ω harmonics of the laser radiation.

Abstract:

A GeV-class laser-driven plasma-based wakefield accelerator has been realized at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The device consists of the 40 TW high repetition rate Ti:sapphire LOASIS laser system at LBNL and a gas-filled capillary discharge waveguide developed at Oxford University. The operation of the capillary discharge guided laser plasma wakefield accelerator with a capillary of 225 μm diameter and 33 mm in length was analyzed in detail. The input intensity dependence suggests that excessive self-injection causes increased beam loading leading to broadband lower energy electron beam generation. The trigger versus laser arrival timing dependence suggests that the plasma channel parameters can be tuned to reduce beam divergence. ©2007 IEEE.