S. Shiraishi

Laser red shifting based characterization of wakefield excitation in a laser-plasma accelerator

Optical spectra of a drive laser exiting a channel guided laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) are analyzed through experiments and simulations to infer the magnitude of the excited wakefields. The experiments are performed at sufficiently low intensity levels and plasma densities to avoid electron beam generation via self-trapping. Spectral redshifting of the laser light is studied as an indicator of the efficiency of laser energy transfer into the plasma through the generation of coherent plasma wakefields. Influences of input laser energy, plasma density, temporal and spatial laser profiles, and laser focal location in a plasma channel are analyzed. Energy transfer is found to be sensitive to details of laser pulse shape and focal location. The experimental conditions for these critical parameters are modeled and included in particle-in-cell simulations. Simulations reproduce the redshift of the laser within uncertainties of the experiments and produce an estimate of the wake amplitudes in the experiments as...

Low-emittance electron bunches from a laser-plasma accelerator measured using single-shot X-ray spectroscopy

X-ray spectroscopy is used to obtain single-shot information on electron beam emittance in a low-energy-spread 0.5 GeV-class laser-plasma accelerator. Measurements of betatron radiation from 2 to 20 keV used a CCD and single-photon counting techniques. By matching x-ray spectra to betatron radiation models, the electron bunch radius inside the plasma is estimated to be ~0.1 μm. Combining this with simultaneous electron spectra, normalized transverse emittance is estimated to be as low as 0.1 mm mrad, consistent with three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. Correlations of the bunch radius with electron beam parameters are presented.

Undulator radiation from laser-plasma-accelerated electron beams

Recent experiments coupled electron beams from the LOASIS TREX laser plasma accelerator (LPA) [1, 2, 3] to the Tapered Hybrid Undulator (THUNDER). Using the 1.5m, 66 period undulator, followed by an XUV spectrometer, spontaneous radiation was observed at photon energies extending to 100 eV. Previous experiments have reported visible [4] and soft-x-ray [5] radiation. The purpose of our experiments is to do highly precise, single shot diagnostics of the energy spread and emittance for each electron beam. We present recent results including measurements of electron beam transport through the undulator with and without the use of permanent magnetic quadrapoles, and measurements of XUV spectra up to 100 eV from LPA produced e-beams.

Staged acceleration experiments

We present initial experiments on staging of two separately driven laser plasma accelerators (LPAs) towards high energy physics and beam deceleration experiments. A study establishing long term stability of electron beams accelerated by an LPA in density downramp configuration [1] is presented, demonstrating the appropriateness of these beams as an injector for staged acceleration. Subsequently, these injector beams are used to longitudinally probe the fully characterized wakefield [2] excited in a discharge-capillary-based second stage accelerator.

Observation of optical transition radiation from electron beams generated by laser plasma accelerator

Laser plasma accelerators (LPAs) have made great progress, achieving electron beam with energy up to 1 GeV from a centimeter scale capillary plasma waveguide. Here, we report the measurement of optical transition radiation (OTR) from the capillary-based LPA electron beams. Transition radiation images, produced by electrons passing through two separate foils (located at 2.3 m and 3.8 m away from the exit of the LPA) were recorded with a high resolution imaging system, respectively. Two magnetic quadrupole lenses were placed right after the capillary to focus and collimate the electron beams. Significant localized spikes appeared in the OTR images when the electron beam was focused by the magnetic quadrupole lenses, indicating the coherence of the radiation and the existence of ultrashort longitudinal structures inside the electron beam.

Staged laser plasma accelerators

We present current results on staged electron acceleration in the LOASIS program at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The goal is to experimentally demonstrate laser driven electron acceleration in two stages, where each stage is driven by a separate laser pulse. This technology could provide the key to built compact laser driven accelerators which could potentially reach up to TeV in electron energy.

Beam transport and monitoring for laser plasma accelerators

The controlled transport and imaging of relativistic electron beams from laser plasma accelerators (LPAs) are critical for their diagnostics and applications. Here we present the design and progress in the implementation of the transport and monitoring system for an undulator based electron beam diagnostic. Miniature permanent-magnet quadrupoles (PMQs) are employed to realize controlled transport of the LPA electron beams, and cavity based electron beam position monitors for non-invasive beam position detection. Also presented is PMQ calibration by using LPA electron beams with broadband energy spectrum. The results show promising performance for both transporting and monitoring. With the proper transport system, XUV-photon spectra from THUNDER will provide the momentum distribution of the electron beam with the resolution above what can be achieved by the magnetic spectrometer currently used in the LOASIS facility.

Recent progress on staging laser-plasma accelerators

Recent progress on a staged laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) experiment is reported. The experiment utilizes a 40 TW class laser which is split into two laser pulses. The first laser drives the first LPA module to produce an electron beam. The second laser drives the second LPA module in a dark-current free regime and accelerates the electron beam from the first LPA. Injection from the first stage, triggering of plasma mirror and reflection of the second laser, and laser guiding in the second stage with the laser pulses reflected off the plasma mirror has been successfully demonstrated. Optical spectral redshift of driving laser is analyzed to estimate the wakefield amplitude and electron energy gain in the second stage.

Long-range persistence of femtosecond modulations on laser-plasma-accelerated electron beams

Laser plasma accelerators have produced femtosecond electron bunches with a relative energy spread ranging from 100% to a few percent. Simulations indicate that the measured energy spread can be dominated by a correlated spread, with the slice spread significantly lower. Measurements of coherent optical transition radiation are presented for broad-energy-spread beams with laser-induced density and momentum modulations. The long-range (meter-scale) observation of coherent optical transition radiation indicates that the slice energy spread is below the percent level to preserve the modulations.

Injection and staging for laser plasma accelerators

Controlled injection and staging are critical elements to the improvement of the stability, quality, and tunability of laser plasma accelerators (LPAs) [1, 2]. This paper will discuss techniques such as colliding pulse [3], density tailoring [4, 5], and ionization injection [6, 7, 8], which have recently allowed for the generation of high-energy femtosecond electron beams with percent-level energy spread and stability, and state-of-the-art emittance. Progress on staged acceleration will also be presented, which promises to further increase beam quality, allow for mapping of the wakefield, and overcome the limit of pump depletion [9].