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Abstract
Laser-wakefield accelerators generate femtosecond-duration electron bunches with energies from 10s of MeV to several GeV in millimetre distances by exploiting the large accelerating gradients created when a high-intensity laser pulse propagates in an underdense plasma. The process governing the formation of the accelerating structure ("bubble'') also causes the generation of sub-picosecond duration, 1-2~MeV nanocoulomb electron beams emitted obliquely into a hollow cone around the laser propagation axis. We present simulations showing that these wide-angle beams can be used to produce coherent transition radiation in the 0.1-5 THz frequency range with 10s~$\mu$J to mJ-level energy if passed through an inserted metal foil, or directly at the plasma-vacuum interface. We investigate how the properties of terahertz radiation change with foil size, position and orientation. The bunch length and size of wide-angle beams increase quickly as the electrons leave the accelerator, causing a shift of the radiation frequency peak from about 1 THz at a distance of 0.1~mm from the accelerator exit to 0.2 THz at 1~mm. If the foil size is reduced, for example to match the typical diameter of the plasma channel formed in a laser-wakefield accelerator, simulating the emission from the plasma-vacuum boundary, the low-frequency side of the spectrum is suppressed. The charge of wide-angle electron beams is expected to increase linearly with the laser intensity, with a corresponding quadratic increase of the terahertz radiation energy, potentially paving the way for mJ-level sources of coherent terahertz radiation.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Proceedings Relativistic Plasma Waves and Particle Beams as Coherent and Incoherent Radiation Sources III |
Editors | Dino A. Jaroszynski, MinSup Hur |
Place of Publication | Bellingham, WA |
Number of pages | 7 |
Volume | 11036 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781510627383 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 24 Apr 2019 |
Event | SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics - Clarion Congress Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic Duration: 1 Apr 2019 → 4 Apr 2019 |
Publication series
Name | Proceedings of SPIE |
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Publisher | SPIE |
Number | 3 |
Volume | 11036 |
ISSN (Print) | 0277-786X |
ISSN (Electronic) | 1996-756X |
Conference
Conference | SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics |
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Country/Territory | Czech Republic |
City | Prague |
Period | 1/04/19 → 4/04/19 |
Keywords
- terahertz generation
- laser wakefield acceleration
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Dive into the research topics of 'Coherent terahertz radiation emitted by wide-angle electron beams from a laser-wakefield accelerator'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 4 Finished
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Lab in a bubble
Jaroszynski, D., Boyd, M., Brunetti, E., Ersfeld, B., Hidding, B., McKenna, P., Noble, A., Sheng, Z., Vieux, G., Welsh, G. H. & Wiggins, M.
EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)
1/04/16 → 31/03/21
Project: Research
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Laserlab-Europe IV (H2020 INFRA IA)
Jaroszynski, D., Hidding, B., McKenna, P. & Sheng, Z.
European Commission - Horizon 2020
1/12/15 → 30/11/19
Project: Research
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Datasets
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Data for: "Coherent terahertz radiation emitted by wide-angle electron beams from a laser-wakefield accelerator"
Brunetti, E. (Creator), Yang, X. (Contributor) & Jaroszynski, D. (Contributor), University of Strathclyde, 19 Jun 2019
DOI: 10.15129/3e98b6c8-96e6-4c70-b524-6dd5eabea64c, http://spie.org/conferences-and-exhibitions/optics-and-optoelectronics
Dataset