SMuK 2021 – scientific programme

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P: Fachverband Plasmaphysik

P 8: Laser Plasmas I

P 8.1: Invited Talk

Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 14:00–14:30, H5

Visualizing the Dynamics of a Plasma-Based Particle Accelerator — •Malte Kaluza — Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena — Helmholtz-Institut Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena

Relativistic plasmas generated by high-power laser pulses are a potential candidate for future compact electron accelerators. In a plasma-electron accelerator, the driving laser pulse generates a high-amplitude plasma wave forming the electric field structure (the "wakefield"), which can trap and accelerate electrons to several GeV energies over distances of a few centimeters only. The properties of the generated electron pulses (spectrum, pulse duration, lateral dimensions) strongly depend on the parameters and the evolution of this accelerating structure. Therefore, a complete understanding of the physical phenomena underlying the acceleration process is mandatory to improve the controllability of the electron pulses, which will determine their potential applicability in the future. This presentation will give a short introduction to laser wakefield accelerators, discuss transverse optical probing as a diagnostic tool [1, 2] and present experimental results on the characterization and evolution of the electron pulses [3] and of the plasma wave [4,5].

[1] M. B. Schwab et al., Applied Physics Letters 103, 191118 (2013) [2] M. C. Downer et al., Reviews of Modern Physics 90, 035002 (2018) [3] A. Buck et al., Nature Physics 7, 543 (2011) [4] A. Sävert et al., Physical Review Letters 115, 055002 (2015) [5] E. Siminos et al., Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion 58, 065004 (2016)