How Can One Maximize the Current Density {\&} Total Electron Density of a Short-Pulse, Approximately Unidirectional, 5-10 MeV Monoenergetic Electron Beam?
POSTER
Abstract
A Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) program has the goal of attaining the highest possible conversion of Z-Petawatt-Testbed (ZPW-T; up to 120-J in a 0.5-ps pulse) 1054-nm laser light, into an approximately unidirectional, 5-10 MeV, electron beam -- with maximum current density {\&} maximum total electron density. If sufficiently successful, the technique will be applied to the larger multikiljoule Z-Petawatt laser, when complete. This paper discusses the early progress/plans to date; including LSP Particle-in-Cell simulations, metrology of ultrathin carbon foils, a Double-Plasma-Mirror system to improve the ZPW-T contrast, a novel linear (LP) to circular polarization (CP) rotator, etc. Results will include: simulation, analytical (a rigorous 1D derivation of the relativistic pondermotive electric field for LP vs. CP light), {\&} experimental progress.
*Sandia is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under contrat DE-AC04-94AL85000. This work is a SNL Laboratory Directed Research and Development project.