Electron acceleration to GeV energy by a radially polarized laser

We present a relativistic single particle simulation of vacuum acceleration of an electron by a high-intensity radially polarized laser beam. The inherent complete symmetry of radially polarized laser beam leads to improvement in the trapping and acceleration of an electron so that an electron can be accelerated to the level of GeV. In addition, the external magnetic field further enhances the electron acceleration. Hence, an electron of ultrahigh energy was observed. The strong correlation between final electron energy and scattering angle is discussed.     

Direct acceleration of electrons by radially polarized laser pulse

Direct electron acceleration by highly focused ultrahigh-power laser pulses of radial polarization in the ultrarelativistic mode was studied. The mode at which the focusing spot size appears of the same order as the laser radiation wavelength was considered. Electromagnetic fields were calculated using exact Stratton-Chu diffraction integrals. Calculations showed that, as for the case of linear polarization, too sharp focusing (in the diffraction limit) is not optimum for electron acceleration, despite the strong axial field namely in the case of a submicrometer laser spot. At the same time, the case of moderate focusing is more attractive for electron acceleration.     

Low-diffraction direct particle acceleration by a radially polarized laser beam

Two constants of the motion, which simplify the relativistic particle dynamics in a laser beam of radial polarization, are identified. Many-particle simulations based on the reduced set of equations of motion in a beam of relativistic intensity, demonstrate acceleration in vacuum to GeV energies of electrons, alpha particles and oxygen bare nuclei. The axially-injected particles are shown to be accelerated with negligible diffraction.     

Fields of a radially polarized Gaussian laser beam beyond the paraxial approximation

Analytic expressions for the fields of a tightly focused radially polarized Gaussian laser beam are derived, accurate to epsilon5, where epsilon is the associated diffraction angle. The fields satisfy Maxwell's equations, and the calculated beam power based on them is significantly different from that of the paraxial-approximation fields.     

Generation of radially polarized Ti:sapphire laser beam using a c-cut crystal

First, it is demonstrated that with a c-cut Ti:sapphire crystal the generation of a nonpolarized laser beam is possible, in contrast to the conventional a-cut Ti:sapphire crystal, which produces a linearly polarized beam. Second, the generation of a radially polarized Ti:sapphire laser beam is demonstrated in combination with a c-cut YVO(4) crystal used as a selector of radial polarization.     

Sharper focus for a radially polarized light beam

We experimentally demonstrate for the first time that a radially polarized field can be focused to a spot size significantly smaller [0.16(1)lambda(2)] than for linear polarization (0.26lambda(2)). The effect of the vector properties of light is shown by a comparison of the focal intensity distribution for radially and azimuthally polarized input fields. For strong focusing, a radially polarized field leads to a longitudinal electric field component at the focus which is sharp and centered at the optical axis. The relative contribution of this component is enhanced by using an annular aperture.     

Generation of a radially polarized laser beam by use of a conical Brewster prism

To generate a radially polarized laser beam we designed and fabricated a new Brewster optical element that consists of convex and concave conical prisms. The lateral surface of the convex conical prism was coated with a dielectric multilayer (SiO2 and Ta2O5) to enhance polarization selectivity. By combining two prisms we obtained a conical Brewster prism without beam divergence owing to refraction. A radially polarized TEM01* (R-TEM01*) mode laser beam was demonstrated when this prism was used inside a Nd:YAG laser cavity.     

Sharply focusing a radially polarized laser beam using a gradient Mikaelian’s microlens

Focusing a radially polarized annular Gaussian beam with a gradient Mikaelian’s microlens is simulated using a radial version of the FDTD method (finite-difference time domain), in which Maxwell’s equations in the cylindrical coordinates are solved in the MATLAB 7.0 environment. We show that the focal spot size (the area with larger-than half-maximum intensity) can be made as small as 0.126λ², with focal spot diameter being 0.40λ.     

Optical guiding of a radially polarized laser beam for inverseCherenkov acceleration in a plasma channel

In a conventional inverse Cherenkov accelerator (ICA), the background neutral gas provides the necessary dispersion to maintain the synchronism between the drive laser and the accelerated electrons. A laser-driven ICA is susceptible to diffraction, and the acceleration length is limited to approximately a Rayleigh range (for a Gaussian beam). In this paper, an ICA configuration is proposed that avoids the laser diffraction limitation by employing a preformed plasma channel. It is shown that a radially polarized laser beam can be optically guided if the plasma density increases with radius-like r². Expressions for the guided axial and radial components of the laser field are derived, and a numerical example is discussed     

Focusing property of a double-ring-shaped radially polarized beam

The intensity distributions of a tightly focused radially polarized beam that has a double-ring-shaped transverse mode pattern were calculated based on vector diffraction theory. The distribution of the longitudinal component near the focus varied drastically with the degree of truncation of the incident beam by a pupil. When the ratio of the pupil radius to the beam radius was approximately 1.3, the longitudinal component disappeared at the focal point, owing to destructive interference. This dark area surrounded by an intense light field was of the order of the wavelength, with excellent intensity symmetry.     

Efficient conversion of a radially polarized beam to a nearly Gaussian beam

We demonstrate an efficient method for transformation of a radially polarized Laguerre-Gaussian beam to a nearly Gaussian beam with much higher beam quality. The method is based on separation of the radially polarized mode into two degenerate modes and coherent addition of the modes after phase flattening. We transformed a high-power Nd:YAG radially polarized (0,1)(*) Laguerre-Gaussian beam with M(2)=2.52 and power of 30 W into a nearly Gaussian beam with M(2)=1.3. As a result, the brightness increased by a factor of approximately 2.5.     

Focal shift in radially polarized hollow Gaussian beam

Focal shift in radially polarized hollow Gaussian beam (HGB) with radial wavefront distribution is investigated theoretically. The wavefront phase distribution is cosine function of radial coordinate. Simulation results show that the intensity distribution in focal region of the radially polarized HGB can be adjusted considerably by the beam order of HGB n and cosine parameter C that indicates the phase change degree. On increasing C, focus can shift along optical axis and focal pattern changes remarkably. Focus may move in different direction under different condition. Focal shift distance fluctuates on increasing C, and fluctuation amplitude also increases simultaneously. In addition, threshold value of C for focal shift from one side to the other side of the paraxial focal plane differs for different n.     

High-energy nanosecond radially polarized beam output from Nd:YAG amplifiers

Optical Review - Radially polarized laser beam amplification up to the 772 mJ using flash-lamp-pumped Nd:YAG amplifiers was demonstrated. In the experiments, a nanosecond radially...     

聚焦径向调制Bessel-Gaussian光束实现亚波长尺寸纵向偏振光束

亚波长尺寸纵向偏振光束在粒子加速,单个分子偶极矩测量,二次谐波成像和纵向偏振共焦显微镜等方面有非常广泛的应用.本文提出径向调制的Bessel-Gaussian光束模型,经高数值孔径显微物镜聚焦可以获得高纯度的纵向偏振光束.利用矢量衍射理论数值模拟了焦点附近光强分布、磁场分布和能流密度空间分布.结果表明光斑半高全宽度可以达到0.4λ.该方法无需环形孔径或环形相位滤波器,光能利用率高,分辨率好,达到改进各种应用的效果. 关键词： Bessel-Gaussian光束 纵向偏振光束 聚焦 亚波长     

Evanescent Bessel beam generation via surface plasmon resonance excitation by a radially polarized beam

A simple setup for generating evanescent Bessel beams is proposed. When a radially polarized beam is strongly focused onto a dielectric-metal interface, the entire beam is p-polarized with respect to the dielectric-metal interface, enabling excitation of surface plasmons from all directions. The angular selectivity of surface plasmon excitation mimics the function of an axicon, leading to an evanescent nondiffracting Bessel beam. The created evanescent Bessel beam may be used as a virtual probe for near-field optical imaging and sensing applications.     

Description of a radially polarized Laguerre-Gauss beam beyond the paraxial approximation

Fifth-order corrected expressions for the fields of a radially polarized Laguerre-Gauss (R-TEM(n1)) laser beams are derived based on perturbative Lax series expansion. When the order of Laguerre polynomial is equal to zero, the corresponding beam reduces to the lowest-order radially polarized beam (R-TEM(01)). Simulation results show that the accuracy of the fifth-order correction for R-TEM(n1) depends not only on the diffraction angle of the beam as R-TEM(01) does, but also on the order of the beam.     

Fission of gold induced by a coherent photon beam from 1 GeV electrons

Fission measurements on Au have been performed by means of a coherent bremsstrahlung photon beam from 1 GeV electrons. The photofission cross section deduced from the experimental yields by an unfolding method shows a resonance at photon energy 320 MeV.     

非均匀关联径向偏振部分相干光的产生

从理论和实验两方面对非均匀关联径向偏振部分相干光的产生进行了研究.理论上,基于相位关联与相干度的联系,推导出了非均匀关联径向偏振部分相干光的2×2阶交叉谱密度矩阵及相干度分布.实验上,利用一个相位型液晶空间光调制器的不同区域,对入射的完全相干的径向偏振光的两个正交偏振分量分别加载随机相位调制,并实验测量了这种光束的相干度分布及其对光强分布的影响.实验结果验证了光束相干度的非均匀关联结构,并且通过改变随机相位的高斯调制半宽可以改变光束的相干性分布.研究表明,随着随机相位的高斯调制半宽的增加,光束中两点间的相干度逐渐减小,其光强分布由圆环状逐渐变化为类平顶的光强分布.这种非均匀关联的径向偏振部分相干光在激光微操纵和材料加工等领域具有一定的潜在应用价值.     

离轴径向偏振光束及其传输特性

基于Wolf近轴传输理论, 导出离轴径向偏振光束光强的解析表达式, 并研究离轴量对离轴径向偏振光束传输中光强分布的影响, 同时根据一阶矩质心位置的定义推导出离轴径向偏振光束的质心坐标, 研究其质心位置的变化规律. 结果表明, 与径向偏振光束不同, 离轴径向偏振光束在近场处传输时光强分布不均匀, 随着传输距离的增加, 光强分布均匀性逐渐得到改善, 而径向偏振光束在传输中始终保持空心对称光斑. 离轴量较小时, 近场处光强分布呈非对称空心面包圈形, 随着传输距离增达到一定程度, 光强分布演化为对称空心面包圈形, 离轴量越小, 演变距离越短; 离轴量较大时, 随着光束的传输离轴径向偏振光束的空心部分消失, 逐渐由空心面包圈形向高斯型演变, 径向偏振光束特性消失. 另一方面, 离轴径向偏振光束的质心不随传输距离的改变而改变. 质心纵坐标恒为零, 质心横坐标与光斑尺寸及离轴量相关. 随着光斑尺寸增大, 质心横坐标成线性增长. 当离轴量较小时, 质心横坐标随离轴量的增大呈非线性增长, 增长量不明显; 离轴量较大时, 质心横坐标随离轴量的增大呈线性增长, 且变化明显.