| Paper | Title | Page |
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| THPEC001 | Optimization of Nonlinear Wakefield Amplitude in Laser Plasma Interaction | 4056 |
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Nonlinear, high-amplitude plasma waves are excited in the wake of an intense laser pulse propagating in a cold plasma, providing acceleration gradients up to GeV/m. Linear analytic analyses have shown that the wakefield amplitude is optimal for a certain ratio of the pulse length and plasma wavelength*,**. Here we present results of simulation studies to optimize the nonlinear wakefield amplitudes. Variation in the laser pulse length is considered for maximizing amplitudes of wakefields generated by half-sine and Gaussian pulse profiles. Further, the advantages of using a transversely inhomogeneous plasma for the generation of the nonlinear wakefields are studied and compared with the homogeneous case. * E. Esarey, P. Sprengle, J. Krall and A. Ting, IEEE Trans. Palsma Sci. 24, 252 (1996) |
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| THPEC002 | Simulation of Electron Acceleration by Two Laser Pulses Propagating in a Homogenous Plasma | 4059 |
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We study electron acceleration by two laser pulses co-propagating one behind the other in a homogeneous plasma. We show, using one-dimensional simulations, that the wake amplitude can be amplified or diminished depending on the time delay between the two lasers, in agreement with linear analytic theory. We extend the study to the bubble regime using two-dimensional simulations. We find that the one-dimensional optimization holds in two dimensions also. Trapping and acceleration of quasi-monoenergetic electrons (up to around 300 MeV) is found in the bucket behind the second laser, even for low intensities, where there is no trapping with a single laser. Thus, this scheme could be very useful for achieving a desired accelerated energy with less intense lasers, or, equivalently, increasing the accelerated energy for a given laser intensity. * G. Raj, A. K. Upadhyay, R. K. Mishra and P. Jha, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. and Beams 11, 071301 (2008). |