Energy scaling of quasi-monoenergetic electron beams from laser wakefields driven by 40-TW ultra-short pulses

By focusing 40-TW, 30-fs laser pulses to the peak intensity of 10¹⁹ W/cm² onto a supersonic He gas jet, we generate quasi-monoenergetic electron beams for plasma density in the specific range 1.5×10¹⁹ cm^-3≤n_e≤3.5×10¹⁹ cm^-3. We show that the energy, charge, divergence and pointing stability of the beam can be controlled by changing n_e, and that higher electron energies and more stable beams are produced for lower densities. The observed variations are explained physically by the interplay among pump depletion and dephasing between accelerated electrons and plasma wave. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations support the explanation by showing the evolution of the laser pulse in plasma and the specifics of electron injection and acceleration. An optimized quasi-monoenergetic beam of over 300 MeV and 10 mrad angular divergence is demonstrated at a plasma density of n_e≃1.5×10¹⁹ cm^-3. PACS 52.35.-g; 52.38.Hb; 52.38.Kd; 52.65.-y     

Quantitative comparison of different preionization schemes of KrF laser discharges

* fluorescence radiation from the ion–ion recombination process in the gas volume during the preionization phase, therefore allowing spatial resolution by partial imaging of the volume. Volume-integrated and temporally resolved measurements are carried out to determine the average of absolute preionization densities by comparison with a theoretical model of the temporal behaviour of the recombination process. Spatially resolved measurements reveal the distribution of the preionization density. The preionization densities determined from spark and sliding/corona discharges schemes are considerably higher (n_e ⁰?10¹² cm^-3) than those obtained from pulsed X-ray preionization (n_e ⁰?10⁷ cm^-3). Received: 3 October 1997/Revised version: 6 January 1998     

Measurement of the compressibility of a deuterium plasma at a pressure of 1800 GPa

The thermodynamic properties of a highly compressed deuterium plasma have been measured using an explosive spherical experimental chamber. The experiment has been performed with an X-ray diffraction complex consisting of three betatrons and a multichannel optoelectronic system of the detection of X-ray images of the process of the explosive spherical compression of deuterium. The density of the shock-compressed deuterium plasma ρ = (4.3 ± 0.7) g/cm³ at the pressure P = 1830 GPa has been detected at the initial pressure of gaseous deuterium P ₀ = 267 atm and the temperature T ₀ = 10.5°C. Under such conditions, the plasma is strongly nonideal (Γ ～ 450) with the degenerate (nλ _e ³ ～ 280) electron component and with an electron density of about 2.8 × 10²³ cm^?3.     

VUV emission model of REB-heated plasma

VUV emission model of a hygrogen plasma with oxygen impurity (T _e=tens of eV,n _e 10¹⁴–10¹⁶ cm^–3,ⁿimp=1–3 % n_e) is constructed in order to judge different possibilities of plasma diagnostics (especiallyT _e measurements) in the REBEX experiments. Two sets of calculations based on the nonstationary corona model are performed: time dependent continuous and line spectra in the range 5 eV—5 keV in the constantT _e approximation (discussion ofT _e measurements by the filter-method) and time dependent intensities of selected spectral lines (2s-2p type) of ionsO ²⁺–O⁵⁺ at variableT _e (including plasma heating by REB and radiative cooling). A possibility of plasma energy content determination from radiation losses is shown.We would like to acknowledge many helpful discussions with dr. P. unka; we thank also dr. J. Ullschmied for comparing our results with diamagnetic measurements.     

Coherent backscattering of electromagnetic waves in a magnetised plasma

Summary A microwave coherent backscattering experiment has been carried out on Mirabelle, a weakly ionised plasma device, with the objective of measuring the electron density fluctuation level. The experiment is a preliminary step in order to prepare the detection system for a microwave stimulated backscattering experiment. The incident electromagnetic wave is focused in front of a plane grid which excites ion acoustic or electron Bernstein waves inducing fluctuations in the plasma. The backscattering signal is collected by the launching circuit and detected by homodyne mixing. The typical ratio of the scattered power to the incident power is about 10⁻¹² and the relative density fluctuations are of the order of δn _e/n _e=10⁻³ against a background electron density ofn _e=1–5·10⁹ cm⁻³. The backscattering measurement is compared with Langmuir probe measurements. The spectral width of the backscattered signal has also been studied, by taking into account effects due to the incident wave focusing and plasma wave damping. The authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction     

纳秒激光诱导紫铜黄铜等离子体特征参数的对比研究

基于1064 nm Nd:YAG激光器,对比研究了紫铜和黄铜等离子的特征参数。洛仑兹函数拟合Cu I 324.75 nm得到紫铜和黄铜等离子体的电子密度分别是3.61017 cm-3和3.31017 cm-3。为了减小谱线自发辐射跃迁几率不确定性和测量误差带来的计算误差,采用改进型迭代玻耳兹曼算法精确求解紫铜等离子体和黄铜等离子体的电子温度分别是6316 K和6051 K,分析表明,两种等离子体特征参数的差异主要是由于黄铜中的锌元素的电离能（9.39 eV）大于铜元素的电离能（7.72 eV）而造成的。实验数据证实激光诱导的紫铜和黄铜等离子体满足局部热力学平衡模型和光学薄模型。     

Direct observation of population inversion between Al+11 levels in a laser-produced plasma

Measured X-ray intensities of the resonance line series of Al⁺¹¹ in a laser-produced plasma shows population inversion between the n = 4,5 levels and the n =3 level at a plasma density N_e～10²⁰ cm^-3. The cooling of the expanding plasma leading to inversion is enhanced by a special target configuration. The gain coefficient in the 4 → 3 transition at 129.7 Å is estimated to be ～ 10 cm^-1, using both measured line intensities and numerical simulation.     

Acoustic perturbations in a pulsedRF-plasma

The response of a stationary weakly ionized plasma to a density perturbation in the neutral gas component was studied in a neon plasma with the following typical properties: electron density ¯N _e≈8×10¹² cm^?3, electron temperature on the axis of the vesselT _e0≈3.0 eV; neutral gas densityN _n≈1×10¹⁷cm^?3 and neutral gas temperatureT _n0≈600 °K. A neutral density perturbation, generated 50 cm apart from the plasma, produces a fluctuation in the ion density and a sharp spike in the differential voltage of a floating double probe. The experimental observations demonstrate the propagation of an ion sheath and of an electric field perturbation together with the neutral density perturbation. An interpretation of the plasma response to acoustic wave pulses has been proposed by Ingard and Schulz in a theory on acoustic wave modes in a weakly ionized gas. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical expectations.     

Pressure-produced ionization of nonideal plasma in a megabar range of dynamic pressures

The low-frequency electrical conductivity of strongly nonideal hydrogen, helium, and xenon plasmas was measured in the megabar range of pressures. The plasmas in question were generated by the method of multiple shock compression in planar and cylindrical geometries, whereby it was possible to reduce effects of irreversible heating and to implement a quasi-isentropic regime. As a result, plasma states at pressures in the megabar range were realized, where the electron concentration could be as high as n _e ≈2×0²³ cm^?3, which may correspond to either a degenerate or a Boltzmann plasma characterized by a strong Coulomb Γ _D =1–10) and a strong interatomic Γ _a =r _a n _a ^1/3 ～1) interaction. A sharp increase (by three to five orders of magnitude) in the electrical conductivity of a strongly nonideal plasma due to pressure-produced ionization was recorded, and theoretical models were invoked to describe this increase. Experimental data available in this region and theoretical models proposed by various authors are analyzed. The possibility of a first-order “phase transition” in a strongly nonideal plasma is indicated.     

Electron temperature (T e) measurements by Thomson scattering system

Thomson scattering technique based on high power laser has already proved its superoirity in measuring the electron temperature (T _e and density (n _e) in fusion plasma devices like tokamaks. The method is a direct and unambiguous one, widely used for the localised and simultaneous measurements of the above parameters. In Thomson scattering experiment, the light scattered by the plasma electrons is used for the measurements. The plasma electron temperature is measured from the Doppler shifted scattered spectrum and density from the total scattered intensity. A single point Thomson scattering system involving a Q-switched ruby laser and PMTs as the detector is deployed in ADITYA tokamak to give the plasma electron parameters. The system is capable of providing the parameters T _e from 30 eV to 1 keV and n _e from 5 × 10¹²cm⁻³−5 × 10¹³cm⁻³. The system is also able to give the parameter profile from the plasma center (Z=0 cm) to a vertical position of Z=+22 cm to Z=−14 cm, with a spatial resolution of 1 cm on shot to shot basis. This paper discusses the initial measurements of the plasma temperature from ADITYA.     

Theoretical studies of chemisorbed oxygen on Ag(110)

The interaction of an oxygen atom with a 26-atom cluster model of the (110) face of Ag has been investigated with ab initio self-consistent-field and configuration-interaction theory. The SCF results for the bridge site (C_2v) predict $\text{r = 0.3}\text{A}\text{?}$ and ω_e = 327 cm^?1, in good agreement with the available experimental evidence. The calculated binding energy (D_e = 9 kcal/mole) is roughly an order of magnitude too small. The inclusion of electron correlation increases r_e and ω_e only slightly, but should have a dramatic effect on D_e. The ground state corresponds to a “surface oxide” state. The theoretical projected density-of-states curves exhibit “bonding” and “anti-bonding” O(2p) peaks, separated by ~ 6 eV, in good agreement with recent angle-resolved photoemission data.     

Magnetic field dependence of the thermoelectric power of n - type gallium arsenide in the extreme quantum limit

The effect of the quantization of the electron energy levels in a strong transverse magnetic field H on the low-temperature thermoelectric power (TEP) S of a high-purity isotropic semiconductor ($\text{n}$ - type gallium arsenide GaAs) is investigated theoretically. The “electron-diffusion” (S_e) and “phonon-drag” (S_p) components of S( = S_e + S_p) are calculated in the extreme quantum limit, when all the electrons in the conduction band are concentrated in the lowest Landau level. The transition to nondegeneracy, which takes place when the bottom of the lowest Landau level is driven through the Fermi level, has a large effect on the variations of S_e and S_p with magnetic field. The results are illustrated with numerical calculations for $\text{n}$ - type GaAs at 4.2 K with 1.2 × 10¹⁶ cm^-3 electrons.     

A laser interferometer for measuring electron densities in an arc plasma

A Michelson interferometer working simultaneously at two wavelengths is used to follow the decay of the electron density n_e along the axis of a short-circuited dc-argon arc. Using optical isolation, compensating mirrors and quadrature signal detection results in a random error of 1% for n_e=5×10¹⁶ cm^-3.     

Modulated electron spectrum of the light scattered by a magnetized arc plasma

Measuring the spectrum of laser light scattered by a magnetized arc plasma (n _e =1.2 × 10¹⁶ cm^?3,T _e =3.2 eV, α=0.6,B _z =120 kG) we observe deviations from the normal thermal spectrum. The observed modulation is most probably due to the influence of the magnetic field. Two other less likely possibilities (enhanced electron oscillations or the existence of an additional colder electron component) are discussed.     

Measurements of emission coefficient for continuum radiation from shock-heated krypton plasmas

Using a shock tube, the ξ factor of krypton has been determined at λ = 456.1 nm by observations of the continuum radiation and simultaneous interferometric measurements of the electron number density. For the electron-density range used (1×10¹⁶cm^-3?n_e?4×10¹⁶cm^-3), we obtain an increase in the ξ factor for decreasing electron densities. These results are compared with theoretical and other experimental data.     

Droplet spot as a new object in physics of vacuum discharge

It is established experimentally that the burning of a low-current (several and tens of amperes) pulsed (microseconds) vacuum discharge is accompanied by the formation of plasma microbunches around some of the droplets leaving the cathode spot. The parameters of these bunches (electron concentration n _e～10²⁶ m^?3 and equilibrium temperature T _e～1 eV) are close to the parameters of cathode-spot plasma. The data obtained suggest that the initial temperature of droplets and the thermionic emission from them play a key role in the formation of such plasma microbunches. By analogy with the well-known cathode and anode spots in vacuum discharges, these droplet plasma formations are classified as “droplet spots.” This work reports the first results on studying the formation dynamics and the characteristics of the droplet spots. It is noted that the concept of droplet spots will require a certain refinement of the plasma formation mechanism in vacuum discharges.     

The Influence of Collisions in the Space Charge Sheath on the Ion current Collected by a Langmuir Probe

The current/voltage characteristics of a cylindrical Langmuir probe have been studied in Ar⁺/electron afterglow plasmas in helium carrier gas under truly thermal conditions at 300 K using our flowing afterglow/Langmuir probe (FALP) apparatus. The orbital motion limited (oml) ion and electron current regions of the probe characteristics have been explored over a wide range of the reduced probe voltage (up to ～ 100) and over a wide range of electron (n_e) and ion (n₊) number densities (1.6 × 10⁷ to 1.5 × 10¹⁰ cm^?3) at a constant pressure of the He carrier gas of 1.2 Torr. The observed increase of the probe ion currents above those predicted by collisionless oml theory, resulting in an apparent increase of the measured ion number density above n_e in the plasma, is explained by the enhancement in the ion current collection efficiency due to collisions of ions with neutral gas atoms in the space charge sheath surrounding the probe. The continuous change in the exponent, χ, of the power-law dependence,i₊ ∞ V of the ion current, i₊, on the probe voltage, V_p from 0.5 at the highest n₊ (smallest sheath) towards 1.0 at the lowest n₊ (large sheath) indicates that the ion current collection from the plasma changes from the oml current regime at the high n₊ to the continuum regime at the low n₊ when the ions undergo multiple collisions with the helium atoms in the space charge sheath and thus “drift” towards the probe.     

电磁脉冲在实验室等离子体中传播时间的实验研究

利用矢量网络分析仪，对频域9—11 GHz的电磁脉冲在实验室稳态无磁场等离子体中传播时间的问题进行了实验研究.实验发现当等离子体密度在0.65—1.43×10¹¹ cm^-3范围内时，电磁脉冲通过该等离子体传播的时间将会小于该电磁脉冲在真空中传播同样距离所需要的时间，在密度约为1.10×10¹¹ cm^-3时，这两个时间差会出现一个极值.进一步的研究表明在此密度范围内，非磁化Xe等离子体中的电磁波色散关系将不再成立. 关键词： 电磁脉冲 脉冲传播时间 等离子体密度 色散关系     

Rydberg states in the D layer of the atmosphere and the GPS positioning errors

The noncoherent radiation in the frequency range 0.8–8.0 (GHz) formed in the D layer of the ionosphere at high solar activity due to transitions between Rydberg states is considered. The emitting layer thickness located 80–110 km above ground surface is estimated. A complicated irregular behavior of the frequency dependence of the radiation intensity for different values of å electron concentration n _e and temperature T _e due to different characteristics of electron scattering on the nitrogen and oxygen molecules is revealed. The dependences of the flux power of UHF radiation from the D layer in the indicated frequency range on the concentration and temperature of free electrons are calculated. It is shown that, at a frequency of ν = 1.44 GHz, the UHF radiation spectrum features a characteristic waist point, the position of which is almost independent of the electron temperature T _e ; i.e., a one-parameter dependence of the power flux on the electron n _e density takes place. In the frequency range of 4.0–8.0 GHz, the radiation spectrum exhibits a family of curves that, for each value of n _e and a wide range of T _e , give rise to a relationship known as the “bottleneck.” It was found that, with increasing frequency, the bottleneck moves upwards along a curve described by a quadratic dependence on the radiation frequency. For a frequency of ～5 GHz, and a certain range of temperature T _e and electron concentration within 5 · 10³ cm^?3 < n _e < 2 · 10⁴ cm^?3, an almost linear dependence of the UHF radiation power on n _e is observed. A comparative analysis of GPS signal delays at frequencies ν _f ⁽¹⁾ = 1.57 and ν _f ⁽²⁾ ≈ 5 GHz for various states of the ionosphere is performed. It is shown that, under the same condition, the use of the second frequency is more advantageous and informative. The ways of further development of the theory and experiment in studying the role of quantum resonant properties in the distortion of global satellite positioning system signals and in solving the fundamental problem of their elimination are discussed.     

Conductivity tensor of the coronal plasma

We study the plasma conductivity within the framework of the magnetohydrodynamic approximation under conditions typical of the coronas of the Sun and stars of the late spectral classes. The problem of finding the elements of the plasma conductivity tensor is reduced to derivation of approximate formulas and numerical values. It is shown that two regimes of dissipation of the current running across the magnetic field can be realized in the corona, namely, one due to the friction of the ion and neutral plasma components (Cowling conductivity) and the other, due to the friction of two different ion components. The first regime is realized in the larger part of the lower corona, whereas the condition for realization of the second regime, i.e., B/n _e < 10⁻⁹ G·cm³, where B is the magnetic field and ne is the electron number density, can be satisfied in the base of the solar corona or in coronal streamers. In the second regime, the rate of the transverse-current dissipation increases tenfold compared with the hydrogen plasma. The longitudinal and Hall components of the conductivity tensor differ only slightly from their values for the electron–proton plasma. The paper draws attention to the fact that along with the momentum exchange due to the charge exchange, the momentum exchange due to ionization and recombination during electron collisions plays a significant part in the friction of neutral and ionized hydrogen atoms.