Optically Controlled Seeding of Raman Forward Scattering and Injection of Electrons in a Self-Modulated Laser-Wakefield Accelerator
Abstract
Optical seeding of plasma waves and the injection of electrons are key issues in self-modulated laser-wakefield accelerators. By implementing a copropagating laser prepulse with proper timing, we are able to control the growth of Raman forward scattering and the production of accelerated electrons. The dependence of the Raman intensity on prepulse timing indicates that the seeding of Raman forward scattering is dominated by the ionization-induced wakefield, and the dependence of the divergence and number of accelerated electrons further reveals that the stimulated Raman backward scattering of the prepulse plays the essential role of injecting hot electrons into the fast plasma wave driven by the main pulse.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- February 2004
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.075003
- Bibcode:
- 2004PhRvL..92g5003C
- Keywords:
-
- 52.38.Kd;
- 52.35.Mw;
- 52.38.Bv;
- Laser-plasma acceleration of electrons and ions;
- Nonlinear phenomena: waves wave propagation and other interactions;
- Rayleigh scattering;
- stimulated Brillouin and Raman scattering