Hundred Terawatt Thomson System at the BELLA Center, LBNL: A Tunable MeV Photon Source for HEDS and Nuclear Nonproliferation

POSTER

Abstract

The Hundred Terawatt Thomson (HTT) platform at the BELLA Center at LBNL has been designed to provide a laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) source of high energy (~100s MeV) electrons for use in generating tunable MeV photons, via Thomson scattering, at 1Hz for applications. This is achieved through the interaction of the LPA electrons with a secondary, independently tunable, 'scatter' laser pulse. HTT also offers versatility for use in other experiments such as those requiring the pump-probe configuration; the LPA electrons and associated betatron radiation can be used to probe the interaction of the 'scatter' laser with a secondary target. This poster presents HTT in its current state, including the currently achievable parameters of the primary and secondary laser beams, the configuration of the target chamber, experimental diagnostics, and results from the LPA and photon source. Additionally, consideration is given to its potential applications in other experiments, which have been demonstrated through the LaserNet US program. Finally, prospective upgrades to the system are detailed for improving the laser characteristics, LPA radiation source, and the available diagnostics.

*This research is supported by the U.S. Dept. of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D (NA-22) including by the NSSC Consortium, by the Office of Science Office of High Energy Physics, and by the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences LaserNetUS, under DOE Contract DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Presenters

  • Benjamin Greenwood

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Authors

  • Benjamin Greenwood

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Qiang Chen

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Robert Jacob

    • Accelerator Technology and Applied Physics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA, USA
    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Anthony Vazquez

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Jeroen v van Tilborg

    • Accelerator Technology and Applied Physics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA, USA
    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Kei Nakamura

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Anthony J Gonsalves

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Carl B Schroeder

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Eric H Esarey

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Cameron Geddes

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory