Multi-GeV electron acceleration in meter-scale low density plasma waveguides

ORAL  · Invited

Abstract

The use of low-density (∼1017 cm-3), meter-scale plasma waveguides generated in long, low density supersonic gas jets has enabled a new generation of fully optical multi-GeV laser wakefield accelerators driven by few hundred TW lasers [1-5]. Most recently, these techniques have been employed to enable the consistent production of 1-10 GeV electron bunches with sub-mrad divergence and nC-level charge [6] for use as drivers for muon production in high-Z converter targets. The self-waveguiding process [1], essential to [2-6], is central to a proposed single stage, 6 m accelerator capable of producing electron bunches up to 100 GeV [7].

In this talk I will present our most recent high charge, multi-GeV acceleration results, supported by a new physics model of pulse propagation in long low density plasma waveguides [5] along with state-of-the-art models for waveguide formation [8]. These are essential for optimizing accelerator performance and scaling to energy gain beyond 10 GeV.

*This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DE-SC0015516, LaserNetUSDE-SC0019076/FWP#SCW1668, and DE-SC0011375), the National Science Foundation(PHY2010511), and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under theMuons for Science and Security Program. E. Rockafellow is supported by a NSF GraduateResearch Fellowship (DGE 1840340). Portions of this work was performed under the auspicesof the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under ContractDE-AC52-07NA27344.

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Publication: [1] L. Feder et al., Phys. Rev. Res. 2, 043173 (2020).
[2] J.E. Shrock et al., Phys. Plasmas 29, 073101 (2022).
[3] B. Miao et al., Phys. Rev. X. 12, 031038 (2022).
[4] B. Miao et al., Physics Today 76(8), 54-55 (2023).
[5] J.E. Shrock et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., in press (2024).
[6] J.E. Shrock et al., in preparation (2024).
[7] J. Ludwig et al., submitted (2024).
[8] B. Miao et al., Phys. Rev. AB, in press (2024).

Presenters

  • Jaron E Shrock

    • University of Maryland
    • University of Maryland College Park

Authors

  • Jaron E Shrock

    • University of Maryland
    • University of Maryland College Park

  • Ela M Rockafellow

    • University of Maryland, College Park

  • Bo Miao

    • University of Maryland, College Park

  • Ari Sloss

    • University of Maryland

  • Sina Zahedpour Anaraki

    • Colorado State University

  • Shoujun Wang

    • Colorado State University

  • Reed C Hollinger

    • Colorado State University

  • Joshua Stackhouse

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • University of California, Berkeley

  • Alex Picksley

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Anthony J Gonsalves

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Jackson G Williams

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab

  • Brendan Reagan

    • LLNL

  • Jorge J Rocca

    • Colorado State University

  • Howard Michael Milchberg

    • University of Maryland College Park