Generation of a beam of fast electrons by tightly focusing a radially polarized ultrashort laser pulse

Payeur, S.; Fourmaux, S.; Schmidt, Bruno E.; MacLean, Jean-Philippe W.; Tchervenkov, C.; Légaré, François; Piché, Michel; Kieffer, Jean‐Claude

doi:10.1063/1.4738998

Cited by 118 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…So far, laserbased particle acceleration schemes employ the longitudinal electric field component of a plasma wave [6][7][8] or of a tightly focused laser beam [9], but in both schemes the accelerating mode has a phase velocity that does not match the speed of light. Therefore, relativistic particles can only be accelerated over short distances and the maximum attainable energies of these devices are limited.…”

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confidence: 99%

Laser-Based Acceleration of Nonrelativistic Electrons at a Dielectric Structure

2013

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A proof-of-principle experiment demonstrating dielectric laser acceleration of non-relativistic electrons in the vicinity of a fused-silica grating is reported. The grating structure is utilized to generate an electromagnetic surface wave that travels synchronously with and efficiently imparts momentum on 28 keV electrons. We observe a maximum acceleration gradient of 25 MeV/m. We investigate in detail the parameter dependencies and find excellent agreement with numerical simulations. With the availability of compact and efficient fiber laser technology, these findings may pave the way towards an all-optical compact particle accelerator. This work also represents the demonstration of the inverse Smith-Purcell effect in the optical regime.The acceleration gradients of linear accelerators are limited by breakdown phenomena at the accelerating structures under the influence of large surface fields. Today's accelerators, which are based on metal structures driven by radio frequency fields, operate at acceleration gradients of ∼20-50 MeV/m. The upper limit in future radio frequency accelerators, such as the discussed CLIC and ILC, is ∼100 MeV/m, given by the damage threshold of the metal surfaces [1][2][3]. At optical frequencies dielectric materials withstand roughly two orders of magnitude larger field amplitudes than metals [4]. Together with the large optical field strength attainable with short laser pulses, dielectric laser accelerators (DLAs) hence may support acceleration gradients in the multi-GeV/m range [5]. With this technology lab-size accelerators, providing particle beams with energies currently only available at km-long facilities, seem feasible. Here we demonstrate the efficacy of the concept.Charged particle acceleration with oscillating fields requires an electromagnetic wave with a phase speed equal to the particle's velocity and an electric field component parallel to the particle's trajectory. So far, laserbased particle acceleration schemes employ the longitudinal electric field component of a plasma wave [6][7][8] or of a tightly focused laser beam [9], but in both schemes the accelerating mode has a phase velocity that does not match the speed of light. Therefore, relativistic particles can only be accelerated over short distances and the maximum attainable energies of these devices are limited. Exploiting the near-field of periodic structures, for example of optical gratings, offers the possibility to continuously accelerate non-relativistic as well as relativistic particles. In essence, the effect of the grating is to rectify the oscillating field in the frame co-moving with the electron, conceptually similar to conventional radio frequency devices. Single gratings can only be used to accelerate non-relativistic electrons, an effect also known as the inverse Smith-Purcell effect [10][11][12]. However, double grating structures, in which electrons propagate in a channel between two gratings facing each other, support a longitudinal, accelerating speed-of-light eigenmode that can be used to a...

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confidence: 99%

Laser-Based Acceleration of Nonrelativistic Electrons at a Dielectric Structure

2013

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“…Recently, electron acceleration by tightly focused few-cycle RPLPs was demonstrated using an high-power infrared (IR) laser source available at the Advanced Laser Light Source (ALLS) facility (INRS, Varennes, Qc, Canada) [20]. In this section, we describe the method used to generate few-cycle RPLPs, specify the experimental conditions in which electron acceleration was observed, and present the characteristics of the accelerated electrons.…”

Section: Experimental Observation Of Electron Acceleration With Tightmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Independent works suggest that directional and collimated attosecond electron pulses could be produced [18,19]. The experimental realization of this scheme is challenging but promising [20]. The technique could also be used for proton acceleration [21][22][23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct Electron Acceleration with Radially Polarized Laser Beams

et al. 2013

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In the past years, there has been a growing interest in innovative applications of radially polarized laser beams. Among them, the particular field of laser-driven electron acceleration has received much attention. Recent developments in high-power infrared laser sources at the INRS Advanced Laser Light Source (Varennes, Qc, Canada) allowed the experimental observation of a quasi-monoenergetic 23-keV electron beam produced by a radially polarized laser pulse tightly focused into a low density gas. Theoretical analyses suggest that the production of collimated attosecond electron pulses is within reach of the actual technology. Such an ultrashort electron pulse source would be a unique tool for fundamental and applied research. In this paper, we propose an overview of this emerging topic and expose some of the challenges to meet in the future.

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“…There is a great deal of interest in utilizing the longitudinal electric field component of radially polarized sources for particle acceleration. [1][2][3] Recent demonstrations of acceleration with terahertz radiation within waveguides, with 7 keV acceleration in 3 mm, 4 have increased the interest in high electric field strength terahertz sources. In recent years, magnesium-oxide doped stoichiometric lithium niobate (MgO:SLN) has become a popular non-linear material for use in the generation of linearly polarized terahertz radiation with a high peak electric field strength.…”

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Longitudinally polarized single-cycle terahertz pulses generated with high electric field strengths

Cliffe

Graham

Jamison

2016

Applied Physics Letters

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We demonstrate the generation of single-cycle longitudinally polarized terahertz pulses with field amplitudes in excess of 11 kV/cm using the interferometric recombination of two linearly polarized terahertz beams. High field strength transversely polarized pulses were generated by optical rectification in a matched pair of magnesium-oxide doped stoichiometric lithium niobate (MgO:SLN) crystals with a reversal in the χ333(2) orientation. The discontinuity in χ333(2) produces a polarity flip in the transverse field; the longitudinal field produced as a consequence of the transverse field discontinuity was measured in the far-field. Both the spatial and temporal profiles of the measured longitudinally polarized terahertz radiation were consistent with the propagation of the transverse discontinuity.

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Generation of a beam of fast electrons by tightly focusing a radially polarized ultrashort laser pulse

Cited by 118 publications

References 13 publications

Laser-Based Acceleration of Nonrelativistic Electrons at a Dielectric Structure

Laser-Based Acceleration of Nonrelativistic Electrons at a Dielectric Structure

Direct Electron Acceleration with Radially Polarized Laser Beams

Longitudinally polarized single-cycle terahertz pulses generated with high electric field strengths

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