Collimated quasi-monochromatic beams of accelerated electrons in the interaction of a weak-contrast intense femtosecond laser pulse with a metal foil

(整期优先)网络出版时间:2013-02-12
/ 1
Wedemonstratedexperimentallytheformationofmonoenergeticbeamsofacceleratedelectronsbyfocusingfemtosecondlaserradiationwithanintensityof2×1017W/cm2ontotheedgeofanaluminumfoil.Theelectronshadenergydistributionspeakinginthe0.2–0.8MeVrangewithenergyspreadlessthan20%.Theaccelerationmechanismrelatedtothegenerationofaplasmawaveasaresultofself-modulationinstabilityofalaserpulseinadenseplasmaformedbyaprepulse(arriving12nsbeforethemainpulse)isconsidered.One-dimensionalandtwo-dimensionalParticleinCell(PIC)simulationsofthelaser–plasmainteractionshowedthateffectiveexcitationofaplasmawaveaswellastrappingandaccelerationofanelectronbeamwithanenergyontheorderof1MeVmayoccurinthepresenceofsharpgradientsinplasmadensityandinthetemporalshapeofthepulse.