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Kinetic Modeling and Optimization of Plasma Wakefield Photon Acceleration

ORAL

Abstract

Plasma wakefield photon acceleration (PWPA) is a method for upshifting the frequency of an ultrashort optical laser pulse in an electron beam-driven plasma wakefield. The high-intensity, sub-femtosecond, and tunable extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses produced by PWPA could provide a valuable source for applications, including imaging for molecular movies and high-energy-density plasma experiments, and semiconductor lithography. Here, we develop a numerical and an analytic photon kinetic model to predict the time-dependent Wigner-Ville distribution of accelerated pulses, and the models show good agreement with particle-in-cell simulations. The photon kinetic approach allows for rapid optimization of the XUV pulse and the identification of new operating regimes that can enhance the frequency shift or temporal compression of a pulse. For instance, by reducing the initial time delay between the electron beam and laser, the frequency shift can be increased by 40% and the compression by 30%.

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Presenters

  • Neil Beri

    University of Michigan- Ann Arbor

Authors

  • Neil Beri

    University of Michigan- Ann Arbor

  • Kyle Glen Miller

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE)

  • Alec G.R. GR Thomas

    Michigan University

  • Qian Qian

  • Brandon K Russell

    Princeton University

  • John P Palastro

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE)