Target sensitivity study of density transition-injected electrons in laser wakefield accelerators

While plasma-based accelerators have the potential to positively impact a broad range of research topics, a route to application will only be possible through improved understanding of their stability. We present experimental results of a laser wakefield accelerator in the nonlinear regime in a heli...

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Main Authors: C. C. Cobo, C. Arran, N. Bourgeois, L. Calvin, J. Carderelli, N. Cavanagh, C. Colgan, S. J. D. Dann, R. Fitzgarrald, E. Gerstmayr, B. Kettle, E. E. Los, S. P. D. Mangles, P. McKenna, Z. Najmudin, P. P. Rajeev, C. P. Ridgers, G. Sarri, M. J. V. Streeter, D. R. Symes, A. G. R. Thomas, R. Watt, C. D. Murphy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2024-11-01
Series:Physical Review Accelerators and Beams
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.27.111301
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author C. C. Cobo
C. Arran
N. Bourgeois
L. Calvin
J. Carderelli
N. Cavanagh
C. Colgan
S. J. D. Dann
R. Fitzgarrald
E. Gerstmayr
B. Kettle
E. E. Los
S. P. D. Mangles
P. McKenna
Z. Najmudin
P. P. Rajeev
C. P. Ridgers
G. Sarri
M. J. V. Streeter
D. R. Symes
A. G. R. Thomas
R. Watt
C. D. Murphy
author_facet C. C. Cobo
C. Arran
N. Bourgeois
L. Calvin
J. Carderelli
N. Cavanagh
C. Colgan
S. J. D. Dann
R. Fitzgarrald
E. Gerstmayr
B. Kettle
E. E. Los
S. P. D. Mangles
P. McKenna
Z. Najmudin
P. P. Rajeev
C. P. Ridgers
G. Sarri
M. J. V. Streeter
D. R. Symes
A. G. R. Thomas
R. Watt
C. D. Murphy
author_sort C. C. Cobo
collection DOAJ
description While plasma-based accelerators have the potential to positively impact a broad range of research topics, a route to application will only be possible through improved understanding of their stability. We present experimental results of a laser wakefield accelerator in the nonlinear regime in a helium gas jet target with a density transition produced by a razor blade in the flow. Modifications to the target setup are correlated with variations in the plasma density profile diagnosed via interferometry and the shot-to-shot variations of the density profile for nominally equal conditions are characterized. Through an in-depth sensitivity study using particle-in-cell simulations, the effects of changes in the plasma density profile on the accelerated electron beams are investigated. The results suggest that blade motion is more detrimental to stability than gas pressure fluctuations, and that early focusing of the laser may reduce the deleterious effects of such density fluctuations.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2469-9888
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher American Physical Society
record_format Article
series Physical Review Accelerators and Beams
spelling doaj-art-c5fbf5ae788a43acb60e14e5ecd530a72024-11-26T17:59:07ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Accelerators and Beams2469-98882024-11-01271111130110.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.27.111301Target sensitivity study of density transition-injected electrons in laser wakefield acceleratorsC. C. CoboC. ArranN. BourgeoisL. CalvinJ. CarderelliN. CavanaghC. ColganS. J. D. DannR. FitzgarraldE. GerstmayrB. KettleE. E. LosS. P. D. ManglesP. McKennaZ. NajmudinP. P. RajeevC. P. RidgersG. SarriM. J. V. StreeterD. R. SymesA. G. R. ThomasR. WattC. D. MurphyWhile plasma-based accelerators have the potential to positively impact a broad range of research topics, a route to application will only be possible through improved understanding of their stability. We present experimental results of a laser wakefield accelerator in the nonlinear regime in a helium gas jet target with a density transition produced by a razor blade in the flow. Modifications to the target setup are correlated with variations in the plasma density profile diagnosed via interferometry and the shot-to-shot variations of the density profile for nominally equal conditions are characterized. Through an in-depth sensitivity study using particle-in-cell simulations, the effects of changes in the plasma density profile on the accelerated electron beams are investigated. The results suggest that blade motion is more detrimental to stability than gas pressure fluctuations, and that early focusing of the laser may reduce the deleterious effects of such density fluctuations.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.27.111301
spellingShingle C. C. Cobo
C. Arran
N. Bourgeois
L. Calvin
J. Carderelli
N. Cavanagh
C. Colgan
S. J. D. Dann
R. Fitzgarrald
E. Gerstmayr
B. Kettle
E. E. Los
S. P. D. Mangles
P. McKenna
Z. Najmudin
P. P. Rajeev
C. P. Ridgers
G. Sarri
M. J. V. Streeter
D. R. Symes
A. G. R. Thomas
R. Watt
C. D. Murphy
Target sensitivity study of density transition-injected electrons in laser wakefield accelerators
Physical Review Accelerators and Beams
title Target sensitivity study of density transition-injected electrons in laser wakefield accelerators
title_full Target sensitivity study of density transition-injected electrons in laser wakefield accelerators
title_fullStr Target sensitivity study of density transition-injected electrons in laser wakefield accelerators
title_full_unstemmed Target sensitivity study of density transition-injected electrons in laser wakefield accelerators
title_short Target sensitivity study of density transition-injected electrons in laser wakefield accelerators
title_sort target sensitivity study of density transition injected electrons in laser wakefield accelerators
url http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.27.111301
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