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Persistent URL http://purl.org/net/epubs/work/54781
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Record Id 54781
Title Particle Acceleration in Plasmas
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Abstract The study of acceleration processes remains one of the most important areas of research in laboratory, space and astrophysical plasmas. In this article we will concentrate on the acceleration to relativistic energies by laser plasma accelerators. The generation of relativistic plasma waves in low density plasmas is important in the quest for producing ultra-high acceleration gradients for accelerators. At present two methods are being pursued vigorously to achieve ultra-high acceleration gradients. The first is the beat wave mechanism which uses conventional long pulses (≳ 100ps) modest intensity lasers (I ∼ 1014W/cm2 − 1016W/cm2) and the second uses the new breed of compact high brightness lasers (< 1 ps) and intensities > 1018 W/cm2. With the development of these compact short-pulse, high-brightness lasers new areas of study for laser matter interactions are opening up. In the ultra-high intensity regime laser plasma interactions are highly nonlinear and relativistic leading to new phenomenon such as plasma wakefield excitation for particle acceleration, relativistic self-focusing, remote guiding of laser beams, harmonic generation and photon acceleration. Fields greater than GV/cm have been generated with particles being accelerated to 100 MeV in millimeter distances recorded. In the near future laser plasma accelerators will be producing GeV particles. This opens up a whole area of uses from transmutation of elements for isotope production to pion production for high energy physics. In particular such a source could be used to test detectors before being sealed inside accelerator target chambers.
Organisation SSTD , STFC
Keywords
Funding Information
Related Research Object(s): 60674 , 27556
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Language English (EN)
Type Details URI(s) Local file(s) Year
Book Chapter or Section In Beam Measurement: Proceedings of the Joint US–CERN–Japan–Russia School on Particle Accelerators Montreux and CERN, Switzerland, 11 – 20 May 1998. Edited by S-I Kurokawa, S-Y Lee, S Turner, 530-555. World Scientific Publishing, 1998. https://doi.org/1…2/9789812818003_0023 1998