Multi-MeV Electron Acceleration by Subterawatt Laser Pulses

A. J. Goers, G. A. Hine, L. Feder, B. Miao, F. Salehi, J. K. Wahlstrand, H. M. Milchberg

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94 Scopus citations

Abstract

We demonstrate laser-plasma acceleration of high charge electron beams to the ∼10 MeV scale using ultrashort laser pulses with as little energy as 10 mJ. This result is made possible by an extremely dense and thin hydrogen gas jet. Total charge up to ∼0.5 nC is measured for energies >1 MeV. Acceleration is correlated to the presence of a relativistically self-focused laser filament accompanied by an intense coherent broadband light flash, associated with wave breaking, which can radiate more than ∼3% of the laser energy in a ∼1 fs bandwidth consistent with half-cycle optical emission. Our results enable truly portable applications of laser-driven acceleration, such as low dose radiography, ultrafast probing of matter, and isotope production.

Original languageEnglish
Article number194802
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume115
Issue number19
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 5 2015
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
National Science Foundation
U.S. Department of Energy

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