Generation of electron beams from a laser-based advanced accelerator at Shanghai Jiao Tong University

TL;DR

This paper reports on the generation of multi-hundred MeV electron beams using laser wakefield acceleration at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, demonstrating stable beam production with various gases and optimized laser-plasma conditions.

Contribution

First demonstration of stable, high-quality electron beams from LWFA using multiple gases with optimized laser parameters at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Findings

Electron beams of several hundred MeV achieved

Stable beam pointing and divergence observed

Energy spectra vary with different gases

Abstract

At Shanghai Jiao Tong University, we have established a research laboratory for advanced acceleration research based on high-power lasers and plasma technologies. In a primary experiment based on the laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) scheme, multi-hundred MeV electron beams having a reasonable quality are generated using 20-40 TW, 30 femtosecond laser pulses interacting independently with helium, neon, nitrogen and argon gas jet targets. The laser-plasma interaction conditions are optimized for stabilizing the electron beam generation from each type of gas. The electron beam pointing angle stability and divergence angle as well as the energy spectra from each gas jet are measured and compared.