Coherent Thomson scattering at laser compressed and accelerated electron bunches

D. an der Brügge; A. Pukhov

doi:10.1117/12.820925

7 May 2009 Coherent Thomson scattering at laser compressed and accelerated electron bunches

D. an der Brügge, A. Pukhov

Proceedings Volume 7359, Harnessing Relativistic Plasma Waves as Novel Radiation Sources from Terahertz to X-Rays and Beyond; 735905 (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.820925
Event: SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics, 2009, Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract

The relativistic Doppler effect offers a fundamental means of frequency upconverting electromagnetic radiation. In 1993, Esarey et al.¹ mentioned the possibility of scattering light at fast moving electrons to upconvert its frequency. For the process to be efficient, one needs to have a highly compressed bunch of electrons, since only then the scattering process can become coherent. The condition for coherency is, that the scale length of the electron bunch or its density gradient needs to be on the order of the wavelength to be generated or smaller. This is much tinier than what can be reached by commonly known techniques, including conventional accelerators as well as laser-plasma accelerators. Therefore, electrons are extracted from a small droplet or a thin foil by a highly relativistic driver laser (a₀ = eA₀/mc² ⪆⪆ 1). The electron bunch becomes accelerated and at the same time compressed by the forces of the laser field. The acceleration can be achieved either by the relativistic ponderomotive force of a conventional laser pulse, as suggested in,⁶ or by the longitudinal field on the optical axis of a radially polarized pulse, as suggested in.8 In both cases, the bunch is compressed because of the fundamental snowplough effect of the co-moving force, i.e. the laser pulse. Spacecharge forces are counteracting the compression, thus limiting the amount of charge to be compressed. Nevertheless, in a wide range of parameters the edges of the electron bunches density profile remain sharp, enabling coherent Thomson scattering. We use analytic models and PIC simulations to describe and analyze thoroughly the effects occurring and finally estimate the conversion efficiency that can be reached by this scheme. Techniques to increase the efficiency and gain further control over the generated radiation are suggested and discussed. Reaching best possible control over temporal envelope of the driver pulse appears to be the most important issue here.

Citation Download Citation

D. an der Brügge and A. Pukhov "Coherent Thomson scattering at laser compressed and accelerated electron bunches", Proc. SPIE 7359, Harnessing Relativistic Plasma Waves as Novel Radiation Sources from Terahertz to X-Rays and Beyond, 735905 (7 May 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.820925

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