An application of laser-plasma acceleration: towards a free-electron laser amplification

M. E. Couprie, M. Labat, C. Evain, F. Marteau, F. Briquez, M. Khojoyan, C. Benabderrahmane, L. Chapuis, N. Hubert, C. Bourassin-Bouchet, M. El Ajjouri, F. Bouvet, Y. Dietrich, M. Valleau, G. Sharma, W. Yang, O. Marcouille, J. Veteran, P. Berteaud, T. El AjjouriL. Cassinari, C. Thaury, G. Lambert, I. Andriyash, V. Malka, X. Davoine, M. A. Tordeux, C. Miron, D. Zerbib, K. Tavakoli, J. L. Marlats, M. Tilmont, P. Rommeluere, J. P. Duval, M. H. N'Guyen, A. Rouqier, M. Vanderbergue, C. Herbeaux, M. Sebdouai, A. Lestrade, N. Leclercq, D. Dennetiere, M. Thomasset, F. Polack, S. Bielawski, C. Szwaj, A. Loulergue

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) presently provides electron beams with a typical current of a few kA, a bunch length of a few fs, energy in the few hundred MeV to several GeV range, a divergence of typically 1 mrad, an energy spread of the order of 1%, and a normalized emittance of the order of pi.mm. mrad. One of the first applications could be to use these beams for the production of radiation: undulator emission has been observed but the rather large energy spread (1%) and divergence (1 mrad) prevent straightforward free-electron laser (FEL) amplification. An adequate beam manipulation through the transport to the undulator is then required. The key concept proposed here relies on an innovative electron beam longitudinal and transverse manipulation in the transport towards an undulator: a 'demixing' chicane sorts the electrons according to their energy and reduces the spread from 1% to one slice of a few parts per thousand and the effective transverse size is maintained constant along the undulator (supermatching) by a proper synchronization of the electron beam focusing with the progress of the optical wave. A test experiment for the demonstration of FEL amplification with an LPA is under preparation. Electron beam transport follows different steps with strong focusing with permanent magnet quadrupoles of variable strength, a demixing chicane with conventional dipoles, and a second set of quadrupoles for further focusing in the undulator. The FEL simulations and the progress of the preparation of the experiment are presented.

Original languageEnglish
Article number034020
Number of pages11
JournalPlasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Volume58
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 17 Feb 2016
Externally publishedYes
Event2015 International Laser Plasma Accelerators Workshop - Guadeloupe, France
Duration: 10 May 201515 May 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Nuclear Energy and Engineering

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