Ponderomotive laser acceleration and focusing in vacuum for generation of attosecond electron bunches

A novel approach for the generation of ultrabright attosecond electron bunches is proposed, based on acceleration in vacuum, by a short laser pulse. The laser-pulse profile is tailored such that the electrons are both focused and accelerated by the ponderomotive force of the light. Using time-averaged equations of motion, analytical criteria for optimal regime of acceleration are found. It is shown that for realistic laser parameters, a beam with up to 10(6) particles and normalized transverse and longitudinal emittances <10(-8) m can be produced.     

Analytical model for ion acceleration by high-intensity laser pulses

We present a general expression for the maximum ion energy observed in experiments with thin foils irradiated by high-intensity laser pulses. The analytical model is based on a radially confined surface charge set up by laser accelerated electrons on the target rear side. The only input parameters are the properties of the laser pulse and the target thickness. The predicted maximum ion energy and the optimal laser pulse duration are supported by dedicated experiments for a broad range of different ions.     

Laser ion-acceleration scaling laws seen in multiparametric particle-in-cell simulations

The ion acceleration driven by a laser pulse at intensity I= 10(20)-10(22) W/cm(2) x (microm/lambda)(2) from a double layer target is investigated with multiparametric particle-in-cell simulations. For targets with a wide range of thickness l and density n(e), at a given intensity, the highest ion energy gain occurs at certain electron areal density of the target sigma = n(e)l, which is proportional to the square root of intensity. In the case of thin targets and optimal laser pulse duration, the ion maximum energy scales as the square root of the laser pulse power. When the radiation pressure of the laser field becomes dominant, the ion maximum energy becomes proportional to the laser pulse energy.     

Optimization of EUV radiation yield from laser-produced plasma

We optimize the conversion of laser energy into extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation by tailoring the laser parameters for a laser-produced plasma generated from 20 μm diameter water droplets. It is shown that mass-limited targets require careful adaption of laser-pulse energy and laser-pulse duration separately, rather than laser intensity, which seems to be adequate for bulk targets. The optimal pulse duration scales with the droplet radius, and the optimal pulse energy with the droplet volume. With optimized parameters, we obtain a conversion efficiency of 0.23% in 4π and 2.5% bandwidth for 13 nm radiation, the future EUV lithography light. Received: 16 July 2001 / Revised version: 25 September 2001 / Published online: 7 November 2001     

数值模拟飞秒激光加热金属的热电子发射

研究了超短超强激光脉冲与薄膜靶相互作用中产生的电子热发射.当超短激光脉冲与薄膜靶相互作用时,首先入射超短脉冲激光对吸收深度内的自由电子进行热激发,接下来热激发电子将能量传递到附近的晶格,再通过电子和晶格二体系的热传导,以及电子晶格间的热耦合,将能量传递到材料的内部.因此,电子在皮秒级甚至更短的时间内不能与晶格进行能量耦合,使电子温度超出晶格温度很多,电子热发射就变得非常明显了.用双温方程联合Richardson-Dushman方程的方法对飞秒脉冲激光照射金属靶的电子热发射进行了研究,结果发现电子热发射对飞     

Resonant upconversion of λ=1.06 μm radiation in rubidium vapors

The influence of the laser-pulse length of the vuv-radiation emission of a laserproduced plasma has been investigated between 30 and 80 nm. The plasma was produced by focussing the beam of a Nd: YAG/glass laser system (λ=1064 nm,E≈300 mJ) on an uranium target. The laser pulse duration was varied between 11 and 60 ns full width at half maximum (FWHM) while keeping the laser pulse energy constant. A wavelength dependent correlation between laser-pulse length and the time duration of the vuv-radiation emission of the plasma was observed. The time duration of the vuv-radiation emitted by the laserproduced plasma was in the same order (15–50 ns FWHM), as the laser pulse length. With increased wavelengths of observation or increased laser-pulse length longer vuv-radiation emission was found.     

超热电子产生Kα辐射的参数影响

 超短超强激光与固体靶相互作用,可以产生大量的Kα特征谱线发射。这种Kα线光源在背光照相、医学成像和超快诊断等方面具有显著优势。为了寻求获得Kα线高产额的方法,利用ITS蒙卡模拟程序,对超短超强激光产生的超热电子在固体靶中产生的Kα线发射进行了模拟。系统研究了Kα线发射强度随出射角度、靶厚度和超热电子温度等参数的变化情况。研究发现在恒定的激光功率密度或超热电子温度下,存在最佳的靶厚度,使得Kα线光子产额最大,并用模拟结果对已有实验数据进行了解释。     

在相对论性激光-等离子体系统中初始物理参数对激光脉冲的影响

基于相对论性激光-等离子体动力学理论，研究了相对论性激光-等离子体系统中圆偏振入射脉冲激光和等离子体相互作用对激光脉冲宽度的影响. 具体分析了在不同初始物理参数下脉冲激光的脉冲宽度在等离子体传播过程中的变化情况，重点分析了激光脉冲在等离子中压缩. 计算结果表明增加入射激光的强度和入射脉冲宽度以及减小等离子体的初始密度，能够有效地实现脉冲宽度在等离子体中压缩；当激光脉冲的初始参数a₀=0.12和τ=70以及等离子体密度n₀=0.3时，脉冲宽度相对压缩T/τ接近于1/10，从而给出了激光压缩的理论优化参数. 关键词： 相对论性激光-等离子体 激光脉冲宽度 等离子体密度 自压缩     

Dispersion relation and growth rate for a corrugated channel free-electron laser with a helical wiggler pump

The effects of corrugated ion channels on electron trajectories and spatial growth rate for a free-electron laser with a one-dimensional helical wiggler have been investigated. Analysis of the steady-state electron trajectories is performed by solving the equations of motion. Our results show that the presence of a corrugated channel shifts the resonance frequency to smaller values of ion channel frequency. The sixth-order dispersion equation describing the coupling between the electrostatic beam mode and the electromagnetic mode has also been derived. The dispersion relation characteristic is analyzed in detail by numerical solution. Results show that the growth rate of instability in the presence of corrugated ion channels can be greatly enhanced relative to the case of an uniform ion channel.     

Single-shot electron-beam bunch length measurements

We report subpicosecond electro-optic measurements of the length of individual relativistic electron bunches. The longitudinal electron-bunch shape is encoded electro-optically on to the spectrum of a chirped laser pulse. The electron-bunch length is determined by analyzing individual laser-pulse spectra obtained with and without the presence of an electron bunch. Since the length of the chirped laser pulse can be easily changed, the electron bunch can be visualized on different time scales. This single-shot imaging technique is a promising method for real-time electron-bunch diagnostics.     

Effect of pressure relaxation during the laser heating and electron–ion relaxation stages

The multi-phase equation of state by Bushman et al. (Sov. Tech. Rev. 5:1–44, 2008) is modified to describe states with different electron and ion temperatures and it is applied to the non-equilibrium evolution of an aluminum sample heated by a subpicosecond laser pulse. The sample evolution is described by the two-temperature model for the electron and ion temperatures, while the pressure and density are described by a simplified relaxation equation. The pressure relaxation in the heating stage reduces the binding energy and facilitates the electron-driven ablation. The model is applied to estimate the ablation depth of an Al target irradiated by a subpicosecond laser pulse. It improves the agreement with the experimental data and provides a new explanation of the ablation process.     

Nonequilibrium laser-produced plasma of volume-structured media and inertial-confined-fusion applications

We review the results of experimental and theoretical studies of the properties of a nonequilibrium plasma produced from volume-structured media, containing micro- and nano-size internal elements, under laser-pulse irradiation. We consider two types of materials, i.e., regularly and stochastically structured materials. The first type is either a set of flat layers or cylindrical and spherical shells of micrometer thickness, and the second type is either foams of light elements or light foams containing clusters of heavy elements with dimensions in the range of 10–100 nm. We study the properties of high-temperature laser-produced plasmas of such materials and applications directed to developing the design of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets and creating powerful sources of thermonuclear neutron and soft X-ray emission initiated by the laser pulse. The foam materials can be used as absorbers capable of providing homogeneity of laser-energy absorption by the target. A neutron yield up to 1014−1015 DT neutrons per shot can be achieved by heating regularly structured materials using a laser pulse in the regime of the consequent thermal explosions of solid elements containing isotopes of hydrogen. Laser-radiation conversion into soft X-ray emission with the efficiency controlled in a wide range may be realized in laser-produced plasmas of porous media doped with clusters of heavy elements. In particular, such a material can be used as an absorber–converter of laser radiation in inertial confinement fusion targets. Under direct irradiation of an ICF target by a laser pulse, such a converter can provide transformation of 20–30% of the absorbed laser energy into the energy of X-ray radiation transferred to thermonuclear capsules.     

飞秒激光固体靶相互作用中超热电子的输运特性

 实验研究了在100 TW掺钛宝石超短超强脉冲激光装置上完成的飞秒激光-固体靶相互作用中超热电子的输运特性,获得了超热电子的能谱、产额、注量及超热电子在靶内输运能量沉积范围。测量结果表明:超热电子的注量和总能量随靶厚度的增加而减少,超热电子约80％的能量主要沉积在靶内的前约一个激光脉冲宽度的范围内,且能量沉积范围随激光脉冲宽度的增加而增加,这主要是静电场的影响所致。     

Peak-Power Instabilities of Laser Pulses Retroreflected by a Corner-Cube Retroreflector at Different Distances

In order to obtain the change in the return laser-pulse peak-power instability with the distance between two communication terminals in a free-space optical communication (FSO) asymmetric link, which uses a corner-cube retroreflector (CCR) and a high peak-power pulse laser, we present the peak power instability of laser pulses retroreflected by the CCR at different distances. The CCR bottom surface was a circle with a diameter of 1 in., and three mirrors of the CCR were coated with silver. The weather was cloudy with winds of Category 4. The distances from the transmitter to the CCR were 120, 1,550, 3,900, and 5,240 m. The laser emitted 100 laser pulses with a peak power of 5 MW at each distance. The results of the experiments show that the increase in both absolute and relative peakpower instabilities with the distance is approximately linear. The absolute peak-power instability is more than 58.7 mV and the relative peak-power instability is more than 11.8 % if the distance increases 1 km.     

Suppression of multiple ion bunches and generation of monoenergetic ion beams in laser foil-plasma

In one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, this paper shows that the formation of multiple ion bunches is disadvantageous to the generation of monoenergetic ion beams and can be suppressed by choosing an optimum target thickness in the radiation pressure acceleration mechanism by a circularly polarised laser pulse. As the laser pulse becomes intense, the optimum target thickness obtained by a non-relativistic treatment is no longer adequate. Considering the relativistic Doppler-shifted pressure, it proposes a relativistic formulation to determine the optimum target thickness. The theoretical predictions agree with the simulation results well. The model is also valid for two-dimensional cases. The accelerated ion beams can be compelled to be more stable by choosing the optimum target thickness when they exhibit some unstable behaviours.     

稠密等离子体表面不稳定性的入射光偏振态效应

用二维粒子模拟程序研究了相对论强激光和稠密等离子体相互作用引起的表面不稳定。数值模拟表明,在s偏振光作用下,等离子体表面出现了类瑞利泰勒不稳定性。形成的不稳定结构随时间发展进一步深入到等离子体内部,最终使等离子体密度形成分层泡状结构,并向前传播。这种不稳定的产生与初始等离子体密度有密切关系,在高于20倍临界密度等离子体的表面没有明显观察到这种不稳定。在p偏振激光作用下,等离子体表面不能明显地形成这种结构。因此在三维几何结构下,这种等离子体表面不稳定性将呈现各向异性。这种表面不稳定将直接影响高次谐波产生和离子加速效率。     

Escape into vacuum of fast electrons generated by oblique incidence of an ultrashort, high-power laser pulse on a solid target

The possibility that fast electrons can escape in a direction close to the trajectory of a reflected ultrashort laser pulse at extremely high laser radiation fluxes is examined analytically and numerically. Analytic estimates are made of the feasibility of forming electron bursts in the plasma and of their subsequent motion. The self-consistent, collisionless motion of a plasma acted on by specified incident and reflected ultrashort laser pulses is modeled in two dimensions by the particle-in-cell method. It is shown that a substantial number of electrons located in the subcritical region are gathered into bunches by the resultant forces and escape to the vacuum in a direction different from the normal to the target surface within a narrow range of solid angles. This demonstrates the feasibility of laser acceleration of an electron burst during reflection of an ultrashort laser pulse from a solid target. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 1184–1197 (October 1999)     

Laser‐Triggered Proton Acceleration From Micro‐Structured thin Targets

By using relativistic massively parallel PIC code MANDOR, which features arbitrary target design including 3D micro‐structuring, a study of ion acceleration in short laser pulse interaction with different thin targets has been performed. Based on 3D simulation results it has been shown that micro‐structures on the front surface of thin plane targets increase a number and energy of hot electrons in comparison with that for the case of pure plain foils of optimal thickness. As a result, the energy of accelerated ions also increases up to 50%. However, the efficiency of ion acceleration from structured target reduces with laser pulse intensity increase, so that for laser pulses of ultra‐relativistic intensity a positive role of surface micro‐structuring diminishes. We have also studied to which extent a sub‐ps imperfection of the laser pulse shape, which smoothes the surface micro‐structures suppresses high‐energy ion generation. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

激光辐照固体靶产生等离子体反冲研究

提出一种通过诊断等离子体反冲动量来计算激光加载产生冲击压强的方法. 当强激光辐照固体靶表面时, 所产生的高速喷射的等离子体对靶具有反冲作用, 通过诊断等离子体反冲动量的变化可以计算激光辐照固体靶产生的冲击压强变化. 本文利用辐射流体力学软件研究了这种诊断方法, 模拟采用的激光功率密度为5×10¹²-5×10¹³ W/cm², 激光脉宽选取纳秒量级. 模拟结果表明该方法是有效且可行的.     

超短激光与金薄膜靶相互作用产生的质子能谱

在能量11 mJ、波长744 nm、脉宽120 fs、功率密度61016 W/cm2的超短脉冲装置上,开展了超短脉冲激光与2.1 m和5.0 m金薄膜靶相互作用产生质子束的实验研究。利用Thomson谱仪测量了产生的质子能谱,发现利用2.1 m金薄膜靶时,质子能谱由于质子源数量不足而在74 keV附近出现单能峰,5.0 m的金薄膜靶产生的质子计数和能谱均比2.1 m的金薄膜靶产生的低,主要原因是超热电子穿过薄膜靶时出现的能量损失和几何倾斜降低了电子回流所致。