Electron Dynamics and Characteristics of Attosecond Electromagnetic Emissions in Relativistic Laser-Plasma Interactions

Generation of attosecond electromagnetic(EM) pulses and the associated electron dynamics are studied using particle-in-cell simulations of relativistic laser pulses interacting with over-dense plasma foil targets. The interaction process is found to be so complicated even in the situation of utilizing driving laser pulses of only one cycle. Two electron bunches closely involved in the laser-driven wavebreaking process contribute to attosecond EM pulses through the coherent synchrotron emission process whose spectra are found to follow an exponential decay rule. Detailed investigations of electron dynamics indicate that the early part of the reflected EM emission is the high-harmonics produced through the relativistic oscillating mirror mechanism. High harmonics are also found to be generated through the Bremsstrahlung radiation by one electron bunch that participates in the wavebreaking process and decelerates when it experiences the local wavebreaking-generated high electrostatic field in the moving direction.     

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.     

激光同步辐射源原理性实验的理论计算

利用强激光和相对论性电子束在任意相互作用方向发生的非线性Ｔｈｏｍｓｏｎ散射理论,计算了平面偏振激光在相互作用角为１８０°、１７８．５°和９０°三种条件下发生Ｔｈｏｍｓｏｎ散射所产生的Ｘ射线波长、相互作用时间等结果,并作出了１７８．５°散射时Ｘ射线强度的空间和频域分布图。利用ＹＡＧ倍频激光器和２５ＭｅＶ电子束对正向散射部分进行了实验验证。     

上海激光电子γ源

激光具有高强度、 高极化度等优异的性能。 用激光束轰击高能电子束就可以产生高强度、 高极化度的γ射线束。 上海激光电子γ源就是上海同步辐射装置上的这样一条束线站。 预计可以获得能量范围为1—22 MeV的准单色、 高强度（109—1011 s-1）和高极化度（线极化或圆极化）的γ射线束。 介绍了这条束线站目前的进展情况。 Shanghai Laser Electron Gamma Source (SLEGS) is a high intensity,short pulse and compact γ ray source which is based on inverse Compton scattering via interaction between pulsed high power laser beams and picosecond relativistic electron bunches. One of the attractive features of the laser Compton scattering is the easy control of polarization of the produced high energy photons that duplicates polarization of the applied laser beam. The γ ray with energy up to 22 MeV and intensity of 109—1011s 1 are expected to be produced by Compton backscattering of CO2 laser photons on the 3.5 GeV electrons bunches in the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF). In this communication, we report same simulation results and the progressing status of SLEGS.     

Preliminary experimental study and simulation of an energy-tunable quasi-monochromatic laser-Compton X/γ-ray source

We propose a slanting collision scheme for Compton scattering of a laser light against a relativistic electron beam. This scheme is suitable to generate an energy-tunable X/γ-ray source. In this paper, we present theoretical study and simulation of the spectral, spatial and temporal characteristics of such a source. We also describe two terms laser-Compton scattering (LCS) experiments at the 100 MeV Linac of Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, where quasi-monochromatic LCS X-ray energy spectra with peak energies of ～30 keV are observed successfully. These preliminary investigations are carried out to understand the feasibility of developing an energy-tunable quasi-monochromatic X/γ-ray source, the future Shanghai Laser Electron Gamma Source.     

Simulation study of electron injection into plasma wake fields by colliding laser pulses using OOPIC

An electron injector concept for a laser-plasma accelerator has been developed which relies on the use of counter propagating ultrashort laser pulses. In this paper, we use OOPIC the fully self-consistent, two-dimensional, particle-in-cell code to make a parameter study to determine the bunches that can be obtained through collisions of two collinear laser pulses in uniform plasma. A series of simulations show that one can obtain a short (<10fs) bunch with its charge of about 15pC, and energy spread of about 15%. We also discussed the variation of the transverse spot size of the electron bunch and found the bunch would undergo the betatron oscillations.     

Preliminary experimental study and simulation of an energy-tunable quasi-monochromatic laser-Compton X/γ-ray source

We propose a slanting collision scheme for Compton scattering of a laser light against a relativistic electron beam. This scheme is suitable to generate an energy-tunable X/γ-ray source. In this paper, we present theoretical study and simulation of the spectral, spatial and temporal characteristics of such a source. We also describe two terms laser-Compton scattering (LCS) experiments at the 100 MeV Linac of Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, where quasi-monochromatic LCS X-ray energy spectra with peak energies of ～30 keV are observed successfully. These preliminary investigations are carried out to understand the feasibility of developing an energy-tunable quasi-monochromatic X/γ-ray source, the future Shanghai Laser Electron Gamma Source.     

Diagnostics of FEL and ILC ultrashort electron bunches based on undulator and synchrotron radiation

The diagnostics of ultrashort electron bunches developed basing on undulator and synchrotron radiation in the framework of the JINR-DESY collaboration is designated for the International Linear Collider (ILC) project, as well as for Free Electron Lasers (FELs) such as the FLASH and X ray XFEL laser. All these accelerator complexes require diagnostics of ultrashort electron bunches with lengths of 20–300 μm.     

How to realize uniform three-dimensional ellipsoidal electron bunches

Uniform three-dimensional ellipsoidal distributions of charge are the ultimate goal in charged particle accelerator physics because of their linear internal force fields. Such bunches remain ellipsoidal with perfectly linear position-momentum phase space correlations in any linear transport system. We present a method, based on photoemission by radially shaped femtosecond laser pulses, to actually produce such bunches.     

交叉传播激光脉冲与等离子体相互作用产生的等离子体密度光栅

理论上研究了两束交叉传播的激光束与等离子体相互作用产生的电子和离子密度调制. 用一维粒子模拟程序(particle-in-cell,PIC)研究了两束激光脉冲产生的干涉场激发的等离子体布拉格光栅. 研究表明等离子体初始密度、脉冲强度和宽度共同影响等离子体布拉格光栅的演化. 光栅的密度峰值可以达到初始等离子体密度的8倍以上,并且可以维持几皮秒的时间. 等离子体布拉格光栅可以囚禁由受激拉曼散射形成的电磁孤子,从而形成准稳态的孤子结构,很大程度上降低了形成电磁孤子所要求的激光脉冲强度. 关键词： 等离子体布拉格光栅 电磁孤子 交叉传播激光束 粒子模拟     

Simulation study of electron injection into plasma wake fields by colliding laser pulses using OOPIC

An electron injector concept for a laser-plasma accelerator has been developed which relies on the use of counter propagating ultrashort laser pulses. In this paper, we use OOPIC the fully self-consistent, twodimensional, particle-in-cell code to make a parameter study to determine the bunches that can be obtained through collisions of two collinear laser pulses in uniform plasma. A series of simulations show that one can obtain a short (<10fs) bunch with its charge of about 15pC, and energy spread of about 15%. We also discussed the variation of the transverse spot size of the electron bunch and found the bunch would undergo the betatron oscillations.     

Attosecond electron bunches

Electron bunches of attosecond duration may coherently interact with laser beams. We show how p-polarized ultraintense laser pulses interacting with sharp boundaries of overdense plasmas can produce such bunches. Particle-in-cell simulations demonstrate attosecond bunch generation during pulse propagation through a thin channel or in the course of grazing incidence on a plasma layer. In the plasma, due to the self-intersection of electron trajectories, electron concentration is abruptly peaked. A group of counterstream electrons is pushed away from the plasma through nulls in the electromagnetic field, having inherited a peaked electron density distribution and forming relativistic ultrashort bunches in vacuum.     

All optical electron injector using an intense ultrashort pulse laser and a solid wire target

Energetic electron bunches were generated by irradiating a solid tungsten wire 13 μm wide with 50 femtosecond pulses at an intensity of ∼3×10¹⁸ W/cm². The electron yield, energy spectrum and angular distribution were measured. These energetic electron bunches are suitable for injection into a laser driven plasma accelerator. An all-optical electron injector based on this approach could simplify timing and alignment in future laser-plasma accelerator experiments. PACS 41.75.Ht; 41.75.Lx; 52.38.Kd; 52.38.Ph     

Femtosecond X-ray generation through relativistic electron beam–laser interaction

Methods for generating ultra-short X-rays using the interaction of intense laser pulses with relativistic electron beams, and their application to measuring ultra-fast phenomena in solid state materials, are reviewed. Two different methods that use a long electron bunch and short laser pulse are discussed: Thomson scattering and optical slicing which have been implemented on linac and storage ring beams, respectively. The possibility of generating ultrashort electrons bunches from laser-plasma injectors is discussed.     

X波段短脉冲相对论返波管设计与初步实验

 对基于短电子束脉冲超辐射机理的X波段相对论返波管进行了优化设计和粒子模拟，结果表明：在超辐射机理作用下，该器件能实现高峰值功率和高功率转换效率的微波辐射。在小型Tesla脉冲源基础上设计了阻抗变换段、二极管、磁场系统等装置，建立了一套小型窄脉冲电子加速器，以此为实验平台在低磁场条件下进行了器件的初步实验研究。在磁场0.73 T、束压约380 kV、束流约4.5 kA、脉宽3.1 ns条件下，实验获得的微波脉冲峰值功率约360 MW，脉宽1.10 ns，上升沿800 ps，频率9.15 GHz，功率转换效率为21%。     

Generation of femtosecond X-ray pulses via laser–electron beam interaction

The generation of femtosecond X-ray pulses will have important scientific applications by enabling the direct measurement of atomic motion and structural dynamics in condensed matter on the fundamental time scale of a vibrational period. Interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with relativistic electron beams is an effective approach to generating femtosecond pulses of X-rays. In this paper we present recent results from proof-of-principle experiments in which 300 fs pulses are generated from a synchrotron storage ring by using an ultrashort optical pulse to create femtosecond time structure on the stored electron bunch. A previously demonstrated approach for generating femtosecond X-rays via Thomson scattering between terawatt laser pulses and relativistic electrons is reviewed and compared with storage-ring based schemes.     

建立激光同步辐射源的初步探讨

 进行了基于正对以及离轴几何条件下，电子与激光束间Compton / Thomson散射的激光同步辐射源的初步探讨。运用现有的直线加速器技术以及高功率、高重复频率激光器技术可以为构建超短脉冲的高亮度、准单色、可调谐的X和γ射线源开辟一条新途径。     

System of quench detection in superconducting magnets of the nuclotron accelerator complex

A new system for quench detection in windings of superconducting magnets has been created for the Nuclotron synchrotron during the period from 2007 to 2012 during the course of preparing the accelerator for its work as part of the injection chain of the NICA heavy-ion collider and as a source of relativistic heavy ions for baryonic matter in the Nuclotron (BM@N) experiment. The results of testing the system components and its trial operation during the accelerator runs are given.     

Coherent harmonic generation on UVSOR-II storage ring

Among the attractive coherent light sources resulting from the interaction between femtosecond lasers and relativistic electron beams, simultaneous Coherent Synchrotron Radiation (CSR) in the THz region, slicing and UV-VUV Coherent Harmonic Generation (CHG) can be achieved on synchrotron radiation facilities. Recently, a Ti:Sa laser at high repetition rate (1 kHz) has been seeded in the optical klystron of the Free Electron Laser at UVSOR-II (Okazaki, Japan). In this paper, the experimental set-up allowing delivery of sub picosecond UV pulses from CHG, and TeraHertz radiation from CSR is described. We further focus on the third coherent harmonic (266 nm) generated. The expected typical characteristics of this radiation, predicted by both numerical and analytical models recalled here, are experimentally verified and several studies of the influence of the seed laser on the output CHG intensity are reported. Such experiment enables UVSOR-II facility to produce in parallel short pulses at two different colors, synchronized at high repetition rate with one single infrared laser: a unique set-up of great interest for the facility users.