Current Filamentation Instability in Laser Wakefield Accelerators

C. M. Huntington, A. G. R. Thomas, C. McGuffey, T. Matsuoka, V. Chvykov, G. Kalintchenko, S. Kneip, Z. Najmudin, C. Palmer, V. Yanovsky, A. Maksimchuk, R. P. Drake, T. Katsouleas, and K. Krushelnick
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 105001 – Published 8 March 2011

Abstract

Experiments using an electron beam produced by laser-wakefield acceleration have shown that varying the overall beam-plasma interaction length results in current filamentation at lengths that exceed the laser depletion length in the plasma. Three-dimensional simulations show this to be a combination of hosing, beam erosion, and filamentation of the decelerated beam. This work suggests the ability to perform scaled experiments of astrophysical instabilities. Additionally, understanding the processes involved with electron beam propagation is essential to the development of wakefield accelerator applications.

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  • Received 16 November 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.105001

© 2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

C. M. Huntington1,*, A. G. R. Thomas2, C. McGuffey2, T. Matsuoka2,†, V. Chvykov2, G. Kalintchenko2, S. Kneip3, Z. Najmudin3, C. Palmer3, V. Yanovsky2, A. Maksimchuk2, R. P. Drake1, T. Katsouleas4, and K. Krushelnick2

  • 1Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48103, USA
  • 2Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
  • 3The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
  • 4Platt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, USA

  • *channing@umich.edu
  • Present address: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara Tyuouku, Kanagawa, Japan.

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Issue

Vol. 106, Iss. 10 — 11 March 2011

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