Controlled High-Repetition Plasma Based Electron Accelerators
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The grant proposes development of laser-driven plasma based accelerators both from the fundamental viewpoint, such as demonstrating energy scaling and understanding injection mechanisms, but also proposes technological development of plasma accelerators in areas such as reproducibility and generating ultracompact accelerators. First the already ground-breaking work on state-of-the-art 100 TW scale laser systems will be extended. A complete characterisation of the interaction promises to elucidate the complex set of interactions that lead to mononenergetic electron beam production in this regime. Continuing improvements in the laser parameters promises to extend the energy range obtainable in this scheme to beyond the GeV level, (to which we are already tantalisingly close). We will also study the interaction of the single beam at high intensity (>10^20 Wcm^-2) in underdense plasma (i.e. not in the bubble matched regime as required for high energy mononenergetic beams), by using tighter focusing (~ f/3 as opposed to ~f/20 for monoenergetic beam production) on the same > 100 TW lasers. Though this limits the maximum energy that can be produced, such interactions promise to produce extremely high efficiency of conversion of laser energy into relativistic electrons, and extremely high current density beams. We also propose to extend our studies to more advanced schemes for dephasing and trapping electrons into a wakefield accelerator. A number of different methods will be investigated for reproducibility and low energy spread (which is of utmost importance for many applications). These include density modulation, and optical injection mechanisms. The ability to separate injection and acceleration phase, dramatically reduces the requirements on the driving laser pulse, hence allowing the wakefield to be driven at lower plasma densities, and thus potentially to much higher energy. These experiments will continue to make use of the Astra Gemini laser system at RAL, (which on optimisation should offer twin 15 J laser pulses at 30 fs), the Hercules laser at the Univesity of Michigan (which offers PW powers in an ultrashort pulse), as well as the Lund Laser Centre, which offers the highest beam quality laser at the 1J 30 fs level. The final major aim of this grant will be development towards producing a laser system of ultrashort pulse duration (< 10 fs i.e. ~ few laser cycles) at moderate pulse energy. This will allow high repetition rate operation of compact accelerators to be developed, whilst also opening the possibility of producing an affordable dedicated system for studying compact plasma accelerators. The demonstration of narrow energy spread beams of electrons produced with such a system would have important technological implications.
Publications
Albert F
(2014)
Laser wakefield accelerator based light sources: potential applications and requirements
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Caldwell A
(2016)
Path to AWAKE: Evolution of the concept
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Cole J
(2016)
Tomography of human trabecular bone with a laser-wakefield driven x-ray source
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Cole JM
(2015)
Laser-wakefield accelerators as hard x-ray sources for 3D medical imaging of human bone.
in Scientific reports
Deas RM
(2015)
A laser driven pulsed X-ray backscatter technique for enhanced penetrative imaging.
in Journal of X-ray science and technology
Genoud G
(2013)
Increasing energy coupling into plasma waves by tailoring the laser radial focal spot distribution in a laser wakefield accelerator
in Physics of Plasmas
Huntington C
(2011)
Current Filamentation Instability in Laser Wakefield Accelerators
in Physical Review Letters
Kaluza MC
(2010)
Measurement of magnetic-field structures in a laser-wakefield accelerator.
in Physical review letters
Kaluza MC
(2010)
Observation of a long-wavelength hosing modulation of a high-intensity laser pulse in underdense plasma.
in Physical review letters
Description | Hosing of a wakefield driving laser pulse |
Exploitation Route | Uses of plasma accelerators now being investigated |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Agriculture Food and Drink Chemicals Communities and Social Services/Policy Construction Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Electronics Energy Environment Financial Services and Management Consultancy Healthcare Leisure Activities including Sports Recreation and Tourism Government Democracy and Justice Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Culture Heritage Museums and Collections Pharmace |
URL | http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.095003 |
Description | EuPRAXIA |
Amount | £132,142 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 653782 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Department | Horizon 2020 |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 11/2015 |
End | 10/2019 |
Description | Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship |
Amount | £143,619 (GBP) |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 03/2014 |
End | 05/2016 |
Description | Newton Fellowship |
Amount | £99,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2011 |
End | 12/2013 |
Description | ATF BNL |
Organisation | Brookhaven National Laboratory |
Department | Accelerator Test Facility |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Experimental proposals and performing collaborative experiments |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to state of the art infrared laser facility |
Impact | Two papers in Physical Review Letters, as well as other minor publications |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | Kansai Kyoto |
Organisation | National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Participation on experiments on the new J-Karen laser at Kansai Photon Science Institute |
Collaborator Contribution | Development of new targets for LPI experiments. Suggestion for diagnostics and research themes using the state of the art J-Karen laser |
Impact | Collaborative experiments and access to world leading facility |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | School visit (Charterhouse School) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | A lecture about plasma based acceleration |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |