Wave-Wave Interaction for Near-Critical Laser Wakefield Acceleration with Low Laser Intensities

Speaker: 
Ernesto Barraza-Valdez
Institution: 
UC Irvine
Date: 
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Time: 
11:00 am
Location: 
FRH 4135 + Remote

Abstract:
Conventional Laser Wakefield Acceleration (LWFA) relies on a short pulse laser or beat wave exciting high phase velocity (v_ph≈c) electron plasma wakes at plasma densities much lower (<10^18  cm^(-3)) than the critical frequency of current state of the art high intensity lasers (≈800 nm). This high phase velocity allows it to be stable against thermal instabilities and thus able to accelerate electrons to high energies. This research proposes and investigates the use of wave-wave interactions to excite wake waves at near-critical densities for the purposes of low energy acceleration (<1 MeV) with low intensities (<10^15  W/cm^2). Using 1D Particle-in-Cell simulations we will show that, at near-critical densities, a low intensity laser beatwave excites multiple plasma waves via a multi-wave Raman interactions. The interactions allow for plasmon cascades into low phase velocity waves which are able to pick up and accelerate electrons from the edges of the thermal distribution.  These low laser intensities allow for accelerator applications in everyday life such as electron-beam radiation therapy and medical equipment sterilization. Additionally, near-critical densities allow for the use of solid targets at atmospheric conditions rather than vacuum systems.

 

Zoom Link: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uci.zoom.us/j/9098507561__;!!CzAuKJ42GuquVTTmVmPViYEvSg!NgynADqc2IR3R11h8fY9ZeBZNhBQpVsScfBVD-HjEwvf1Po5V6fWNIznvL7QrDqR_xLM-qO_4moLiyPsTooFBg$
 

Host: 
William Heidbrink