scholarly journals High-Density Dynamics of Laser Wakefield Acceleration from Gas Plasmas to Nanotubes

Photonics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 216
Author(s):  
Bradley Scott Nicks ◽  
Ernesto Barraza-Valdez ◽  
Sahel Hakimi ◽  
Kyle Chesnut ◽  
Genevieve DeGrandchamp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Critical Density ◽  
High Density ◽  
Laser Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Laser Wakefield ◽  
Sheath Formation ◽  
Laser Acceleration ◽  
Density Regime

The electron dynamics of laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) is examined in the high-density regime using particle-in-cell simulations. These simulations model the electron source as a target of carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes readily allow access to near-critical densities and may have other advantageous properties for potential medical applications of electron acceleration. In the near-critical density regime, electrons are accelerated by the ponderomotive force followed by the electron sheath formation, resulting in a flow of bulk electrons. This behavior represents a qualitatively distinct regime from that of low-density LWFA. A quantitative entropy index for differentiating these regimes is proposed. The dependence of accelerated electron energy on laser amplitude is also examined. For the majority of this study, the laser propagates along the axis of the target of carbon nanotubes in a 1D geometry. After the fundamental high-density physics is established, an alternative, 2D scheme of laser acceleration of electrons using carbon nanotubes is considered.

Laser-wakefield application to oncology

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (34) ◽  
pp. 1943016
Author(s):  
B. S. Nicks ◽  
T. Tajima ◽  
D. Roa ◽  
A. Nečas ◽  
G. Mourou
Keyword(s):  
Critical Density ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Laser Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Laser Wakefield ◽  
Low Energy Electrons ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Sheath Formation ◽  
Low Energy Electron ◽  
Density Regime

Recent developments in fiber lasers and nanomaterials have allowed the possibility of using laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) as the source of low-energy electron radiation for endoscopic and intraoperative brachytherapy, a technique in which sources of radiation for cancer treatment are brought directly to the affected tissues, avoiding collateral damage to intervening tissues. To this end, the electron dynamics of LWFA is examined in the high-density regime. In the near-critical density regime, electrons are accelerated by the ponderomotive force followed by an electron sheath formation, resulting in a flow of bulk electrons. These low-energy electrons penetrate tissue to depths typically less than 1 mm. First a typical resonant laser pulse is used, followed by lower-intensity, longer-pulse schemes, which are more amenable to a fiber-laser application.

Dynamics of ionization-induced electron injection in the high density regime of laser wakefield acceleration

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 120703 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. G. Desforges ◽  
B. S. Paradkar ◽  
M. Hansson ◽  
J. Ju ◽  
L. Senje ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Injection ◽  
High Density ◽  
Laser Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Laser Wakefield ◽  
Density Regime

scholarly journals Laser wakefield acceleration of electrons from a density-modulated plasma

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.N. Gupta ◽  
K. Gopal ◽  
I.H. Nam ◽  
V.V. Kulagin ◽  
H. Suk
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Electron Energy ◽  
Physical Mechanism ◽  
Laser Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Theoretical Formulation ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Phase Velocities ◽  
Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Laser Wakefield ◽  
Density Modulation

AbstractThis research reports the increased electron energy gain from laser wakefield acceleration in density-modulated plasma with an external magnetic field. Periodic plasma density- modulation can excite higher harmonics of different phase velocities of fundamental wakefield that can assist in improving the self-trapping of pre-accelerated electrons to accelerate them for higher energy. Furthermore, the applied magnetic field assisted self-injection can also contribute in electron energy enhancement during the acceleration. The physical mechanism is described with a theoretical formulation for this scheme. Results of two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are reported to understand the proposed idea.

Simulations of efficient laser wakefield accelerators from 1 to 100GeV

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. TZOUFRAS ◽  
C. HUANG ◽  
J. H. COOLEY ◽  
F. S. TSUNG ◽  
J. VIEIRA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Power ◽  
Plasma Channel ◽  
Plasma Medium ◽  
Laser Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Weakly Nonlinear ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Self Focusing ◽  
Laser Wakefield ◽  
And Control

AbstractOptimization of laser wakefield acceleration involves understanding and control of the laser evolution in tenuous plasmas, the response of the plasma medium, and its effect on the accelerating particles. We explore these phenomena in the weakly nonlinear regime, in which the laser power is similar to the critical power for self-focusing. Using Particle-In-Cell simulations with the code QuickPIC, we demonstrate that a laser pulse can remain focused in a plasma channel for hundreds of Rayleigh lengths and efficiently accelerate a high-quality electron beam to 100GeV (25GeV) in a single stage with average gradient 3.6GV/m (7.2GV/m).

scholarly journals Enabling Lorentz boosted frame particle-in-cell simulations of laser wakefield acceleration in quasi-3D geometry

2016 ◽  
Vol 316 ◽  
pp. 747-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peicheng Yu ◽  
Xinlu Xu ◽  
Asher Davidson ◽  
Adam Tableman ◽  
Thamine Dalichaouch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Laser Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
3D Geometry ◽  
Laser Wakefield

Inverse free electron lasers and laser wakefield acceleration driven by CO 2 lasers

2006 ◽  
Vol 364 (1840) ◽  
pp. 611-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.D Kimura ◽  
N.E Andreev ◽  
M Babzien ◽  
I Ben-Zvi ◽  
D.B Cline ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Laser Pulse ◽  
Free Electron ◽  
Trapping Efficiency ◽  
Seed Pulse ◽  
Free Electron Lasers ◽  
Laser Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Laser Plasma Interactions ◽  
Wakefield Acceleration ◽  
Laser Wakefield ◽  
Laser Acceleration

The staged electron laser acceleration (STELLA) experiment demonstrated staging between two laser-driven devices, high trapping efficiency of microbunches within the accelerating field and narrow energy spread during laser acceleration. These are important for practical laser-driven accelerators. STELLA used inverse free electron lasers, which were chosen primarily for convenience. Nevertheless, the STELLA approach can be applied to other laser acceleration methods, in particular, laser-driven plasma accelerators. STELLA is now conducting experiments on laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). Two novel LWFA approaches are being investigated. In the first one, called pseudo-resonant LWFA, a laser pulse enters a low-density plasma where nonlinear laser/plasma interactions cause the laser pulse shape to steepen, thereby creating strong wakefields. A witness e -beam pulse probes the wakefields. The second one, called seeded self-modulated LWFA, involves sending a seed e -beam pulse into the plasma to initiate wakefield formation. These wakefields are amplified by a laser pulse following shortly after the seed pulse. A second e -beam pulse (witness) follows the seed pulse to probe the wakefields. These LWFA experiments will also be the first ones driven by a CO 2 laser beam.

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