Observation of terahertz emission from a laser-plasma accelerated electron bunch crossing a plasma-vacuum boundary

Coherent radiation in the 0.3-3 THz range has been generated from femtosecond electron bunches at a plasma-vacuum boundary via transition radiation. The bunches produced by a laser-plasma accelerator contained 1.5 nC of charge. The THz energy per pulse within a limited 30 mrad collection angle was 3-5 nJ and scaled quadratically with bunch charge, consistent with coherent emission. Modeling indicates that this broadband source produces about 0.3 microJ per pulse within a 100 mrad angle, and that increasing the transverse plasma size and electron beam energy could provide more than 100 microJ/pulse.     

新型准光学可调辐射源研究

 本文介绍一种新型毫米波准光学可调辐射源,它采用由面对称三反射镜准光学谐振腔和绕射光栅组成高频互作用系统,利用中等能量级的相对论带状电子注激励,产生频率可调的宽带毫米波、远红外波段的辐射。这种新方案的机理性实验在电子科技大学首次获得成功,其主要实验参数：电子注的能量为400~500kV,电压脉冲宽度70ns,同步脉冲磁场强度1.2T; 磁场脉冲宽度10ms,带状电子注尺寸10nm×1mm;通过热测实验,我们成功地检测到3mm波段的高频信号,其峰值功率达到数十千瓦量级。     

Characteristics of terahertz coherent transition radiation generated from picosecond ultrashort electron bunches

This paper presents a method of generating terahertz (THz) coherent transition radiation (CTR) from picosecond ultrashort electron bunches including single and train bunches, which are produced by a photocathode radio frequency gun. The radiation characteristics of THz CTR including formation factor and energy spectrum are analysed in detail. With the help of a 2-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation, the radiation characteristics including power, energy and magnetic field are analysed. The results show that the radiation frequency can be adjusted by tuning the repetition frequency of the train bunch and the energy can be enhanced with the train bunches.     

Investigation of a Novel Smith-Purcell Tunable Radiation Source

A novel Smith-Purcell tunable radiation source with relativistic electron beam of middle energy and a quasi-optical resonator composed of diffraction grating and three-mirror reflector is reported. Theoretical analyses and numerical simulation results indicate that coherent radiation with peak power of a few MW order can be achieved from this experimental model. The typical curve of PIC simulation and cool testing experiment is also given.     

W波段具有开放式圆柱光栅的三反射球镜准光腔辐射源

 为设计输出高功率、高频率的W波段辐射源提供一个可行的方案,对一种具有开放式圆柱光栅的三反射球面镜准光腔大功率辐射源,在理论计算和PIC模拟仿真的基础上,完成了理论设计,装配出实验系统,并进行了热测实验。实验中采用了束流脉宽为70 ns的环形电子注,引导磁场为2.2 T,二极管电压为557 kV,电流约为1.8 kA,实验测得在W波段有1.2 MW的峰值功率输出。     

用于THz源的混合型波荡器数值模拟

波荡器是基于自由电子激光的小型THz源关键器件, 其可调节的周期性磁场结构与两端的光腔配合, 使得穿越的电子束产生带增益的相干辐射, 最终达到THz源所需要的功率. 同纯永磁结构相比, 混合型波荡器通过软铁材料调节由永磁块磁化方向性差异导致的磁场分布误差, 同时可提供更高的场强. 本文针对小型THz源需求, 对混合型波荡器进行了相关物理设计. 在解析方法分析的基础上, 采用OPERA3D/TOSCA有限元分析软件, 对波荡器进行了三维磁场数值模拟和积分场优化. 通过对波荡器端部结构的调整, 优化后模型的一次场积分(导向误差)小于0.01Gs﹒m, 电子轨迹偏移小于0.02mm.     

RF gun for an intense THz radiation source

A new facility is under construction at the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics,to generate femto-second electron bunches and intense coherent THz radiation pulses.A thermionic RF-gun is used to be the electron source of the linac,which is 1.6 cell,π/2,side coupled in design.In the following of this paper,the design,manufacture and beam operation of this gun are presented.     

Observation of frequency-locked coherent terahertz Smith-Purcell radiation

We report the observation of enhanced coherent Smith-Purcell radiation (SPR) at terahertz (THz) frequencies from a train of picosecond bunches of 15 MeV electrons passing above a grating. SPR is more intense than other sources, such as transition radiation, by a factor of Ng, the number of grating periods. For electron bunches that are short compared with the radiation wavelength, coherent emission occurs, enhanced by a factor of Ne, the number of electrons in the bunch. The electron beam consists of a train of Nb bunches, giving an energy density spectrum restricted to harmonics of the 17 GHz bunch train frequency, with an increased energy density at these frequencies by a factor of Nb. We report the first observation of SPR displaying all three of these enhancements, NgNeNb. This powerful SPR THz radiation can be detected with a high signal to noise ratio by a heterodyne receiver.     

Evolution of the high power THz source program at Jefferson Lab

We report the evolution of the high power THz source program at Jefferson Lab. The source is based on coherent synchrotron radiation in which short bunches of relativistic electrons radiate when traversing a dipolar magnetic field. In our first accelerator we produced 20 W of broadband THz light. Our upgraded accelerator with higher current and improved THz extraction optics will considerably enhance the output power to >100 W. In this paper we describe the source in some detail and present theoretical calculations for the upgrade.     

Single-shot spatiotemporal measurements of high-field terahertz pulses

The electric field profiles of broad-bandwidth coherent terahertz (THz) pulses, emitted by laser-wakefield-accelerated electron bunches, are studied. The near-single-cycle THz pulses are measured with two single-shot techniques in the temporal and spatial domains. Spectra of 0-6 THz and peak fields up to approximately or = 0.4 MV cm(-1) are observed. The measured field substructure demonstrates the manifestation of spatiotemporal coupling at focus, which affects the interpretation of THz radiation as a bunch diagnostic and in high-field pump-probe experiments.     

Nonlinear cross-phase modulation with intense single-cycle terahertz pulses

We have demonstrated nonlinear cross-phase modulation in electro-optic crystals using intense, single-cycle terahertz (THz) radiation. Individual THz pulses, generated by coherent transition radiation emitted by subpicosecond electron bunches, have peak energies of up to 100 microJ per pulse. The time-dependent electric field of the intense THz pulses induces cross-phase modulation in electro-optic crystals through the Pockels effect, leading to spectral shifting, broadening, and modulation of copropagating laser pulses. The observed THz-induced cross-phase modulation agrees well with a time-dependent phase-shift model.     

Coherent single-cycle pulses with MV/cm field strengths from a relativistic transition radiation light source

Terahertz (THz) pulses with energies up to 100 μJ and corresponding electric fields up to 1 MV/cm were generated by coherent transition radiation from 500 MeV electron bunches at the free-electron laser Freie-Elektronen-Laser in Hamburg (FLASH). The pulses were characterized in the time domain by electro-optical sampling by a synchronized femtosecond laser with jitter of less than 100 fs. High THz field strengths and quality of synchronization with an optical laser will enable observation of nonlinear THz phenomena.     

Temporal characterization of femtosecond laser-plasma-accelerated electron bunches using terahertz radiation

The temporal profile of relativistic laser-plasma-accelerated electron bunches has been characterized. Coherent transition radiation at THz frequencies, emitted at the plasma-vacuum boundary, was measured through electro-optic sampling. Frequencies up to the crystal detection limit of 4 THz were observed. Comparison between data and theory indicates that THz radiation from bunches with structure shorter than approximately = 50 fs (root-mean-square) is emitted. The measurement demonstrates both shot-to-shot stability of the laser-plasma accelerator and femtosecond synchronization between bunch and probe beam.     

Transmissive quasi-optical Ronchi phase grating for terahertz frequencies

A transmissive, square-wave Ronchi phase grating has been fabricated from the dielectric polytetrafluoroethylene to diffract an ~0.7 THz beam quasi-optically. When illuminated by a coherent, cw terahertz (THz) source, the spot separation of the ±1 diffractive orders and the diffraction efficiency were measured as a function of THz frequency and rotation angle. The grating performance depends sensitively on the refractive index, whose value can be measured with an accuracy limited by the fabrication precision. The use of these gratings for polarization-insensitive quasi-optical imaging and phased arrays is discussed.     

Compact THz radiation source based on photocathode RF gun

Terahertz (THz) science and technology have already become the research highlight at present. In this paper, we put forward a proposal to generate THz radiation at tens of MW peak power. As a result of the ultrafast laser and the high accelerating field of photocathode RF gun, we can generate and accelerate an electron beam to several MeV, of which the bunch length is less than sub-ps. When the short electron bunches are injected into the wiggler, THz radiation based on Coherent Synchrotron Radiation could be achieved with tens of MW peak power. The whole THz FEL facility can be scaled to the size of a tabletop.     

Compact THz radiation source based on photocathode RF gun

Terahertz (THz) science and technology have already become the research highlight at present. In this paper, we put forward a proposal to generate THz radiation at tens of MW peak power. As a result of the ultrafast laser and the high accelerating field of photocathode RF gun, we can generate and accelerate an electron beam to several MeV, of which the bunch length is less than sub-ps. When the short electron bunches are injected into the wiggler, THz radiation based on Coherent Synchrotron Radiation could be achieved with tens of MW peak power. The whole THz FEL facility can be scaled to the size of a tabletop.

     

用共焦谐振腔法测量等离子体的电子迴旋辐射

本文中提出一个利用共焦谐振腔和扫频接收机测量等离子体的迴旋辐射的方案,推导出了在共焦谐振腔中一个均匀等离了体平板的辐射谱表式。分析表明,此法可独立地诊断托卡马克中等离子体的电子温度及其径向分布,同时具备准光学接收系统所特有的明确的空间分辨范围。 关键词：     

飞秒超强激光驱动太赫兹辐射特性的实验研究

强太赫兹源是太赫兹科学技术发展的关键,其中大能量强场太赫兹脉冲源在超快物态调控、新型电子加速器等领域具有重要的应用前景.超快超强激光与等离子体相互作用是近年来发展起来的一种新型的强场太赫兹辐射产生途径.本文报道了利用超强飞秒激光脉冲与金属薄膜靶作用产生太赫兹辐射的实验结果,研究了激光能量和离焦量对靶后太赫兹辐射能量的影响,并通过监测激光背向散射光谱,定性揭示了其变化规律与不同光强下的电子加热机制的相关性.实验表征了太赫兹辐射的频谱、偏振及聚焦光斑情况.测量结果表明,实验产生了脉冲能量达458μJ、聚焦场强高达GV/m量级的超宽带太赫兹辐射,为开展极端太赫兹脉冲与物质相互作用研究提供了一种新的强场太赫兹光源.     

双共焦波导结构二次谐波太赫兹回旋管谐振腔设计

准光共焦波导具有功率容量大、模式密度低的特点,能够有效地减少模式竞争对回旋管互作用的影响,有利于高次谐波太赫兹回旋管的设计.为提高太赫兹准光回旋管的互作用效率,在共焦柱面波导的基础上,研究了一种新型高频互作用结构——双共焦波导结构,设计了一种330 GHz二次谐波双共焦结构回旋管谐振腔并对其进行了理论分析和粒子模拟.研究结果表明,双共焦谐振腔中的高阶模式能够与高次电子回旋谐波发生稳定的相互作用,并且没有模式竞争现象,具备工作在太赫兹波段的潜力.相比普通共焦波导谐振腔,双共焦谐振腔能够增强准光回旋管的注波互作用强度,提高回旋管的输出功率和工作效率.此外,结果还表明双共焦波导中的电磁波模式是一种由两个独立的共焦波导模式叠加而成的混合模式.利用这种混合模式有望实现太赫兹回旋管的单注双频工作,为新型太赫兹辐射源的研究提供了新的途径.     

Observation of fine structures in laser-driven electron beams using coherent transition radiation

We have measured the coherent optical transition radiation emitted by an electron beam from laser-plasma interaction. The measurement of the spectrum of the radiation reveals fine structures of the electron beam in the range 400-1000 nm. These structures are reproduced using an electron distribution from a 3D particle-in-cell simulation and are attributed to microbunching of the electron bunch due to its interaction with the laser field. When the radiator is placed closer to the interaction point, spectral oscillations have also been recorded, signature of the interference of the radiation produced by two electron bunches delayed by 74 fs. The second electron bunch duration is shown to be ultrashort to match the intensity level of the radiation. Whereas transition radiation was used at longer wavelengths in order to estimate the electron bunch length, this study focuses on the ultrashort structures of the electron beam.