Probing plasma wakefields using electron bunches generated from a laser wakefield accelerator
Published in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 2018
Abstract: We show experimental results of probing the electric field structure of plasma wakes by using femtosecond relativistic electron bunches generated from a laser wakefield accelerator. Snapshots of laser-driven linear wakes in plasmas with different densities and density gradients are captured. The spatiotemporal evolution of the wake in a plasma density up-ramp is recorded. Two parallel wakes driven by a laser with a main spot and sidelobes are identified in the experiment and reproduced in simulations. The capability of this new method for capturing the electron-and positron-driven wakes is also shown via 3D particle-in-cell simulations.
Recommended citation: Chaojie Zhang, Yang Wan, Bo Guo, Jianfei Hua, Chi-Hao Pai, Fei Li, Jie Zhang, Yue Ma, Yipeng Wu, Xinlu Xu, Warren B. Mori, Hsu-Hsin Chu, Jyhpyng Wang, Wei Lu, Chan Joshi, "Probing plasma wakefields using electron bunches generated from a laser wakefield accelerator," Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 60, 034011 (2018).
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