Generation of Ultrarelativistic Monoenergetic Electron Bunches via a Synergistic Interaction of Longitudinal Electric and Magnetic Fields of a Twisted Laser

Yin Shi, David Blackman, Dan Stutman, and Alexey Arefiev
Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 234801 – Published 11 June 2021
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Abstract

We use 3D simulations to demonstrate that high-quality ultrarelativistic electron bunches can be generated on reflection of a twisted laser beam off a plasma mirror. The unique topology of the beam with a twist index |l|=1 creates an accelerating structure dominated by longitudinal laser electric and magnetic fields in the near-axis region. We show that the magnetic field is essential for creating a train of dense monoenergetic bunches. For a 6.8 PW laser, the energy reaches 1.6 GeV with a spread of 5.5%. The bunch duration is 320 as, its charge is 60 pC, and density is 1027m3. The results are confirmed by an analytical model for the electron energy gain. These results enable development of novel laser-driven accelerators at multi-PW laser facilities.

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  • Received 14 July 2020
  • Revised 1 November 2020
  • Accepted 13 May 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.234801

© 2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Plasma PhysicsAccelerators & Beams

Authors & Affiliations

Yin Shi1,2,*, David Blackman1, Dan Stutman3,4, and Alexey Arefiev1,†

  • 1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
  • 2School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Jinzhai Road 96, Hefei 230026, China
  • 3Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP)/Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, 077125 Bucharest-Magurele, Romania
  • 4Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA

  • *shiyin@ustc.edu.cn
  • aarefiev@eng.ucsd.edu

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Issue

Vol. 126, Iss. 23 — 11 June 2021

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