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Photonics
Special Issues
Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects
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Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2022) | Viewed by 51801

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Toshiki Tajima

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
2. International Center for Zetta- Exawatt Science and Technology (IZEST), Ecole Polytechnique, F-91128 Paris, France
Interests: plasma physics; accelerators; lasers; plasma astrophysics
Prof. Dr. Pisin Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Leung Center for Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
2. Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
Interests: black hole physics; cosmology; particle astrophysics; beam physics; plasma physics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) drives the future of accelerators. Wakefields in a plasma by laser may be 4 orders magnitude higher over fields in RF-based accelerators. These are coherent collective fields, in contrast to individual particle forces. The advances in laser and particle beam technologies drive us into higher frequencies (such as X-rays), which also open up the possibility of even more compact laser accelerators based on nanomaterials or other solid- state media. When taking different advantages of LWFA and the particle-beam driven PWFA, a hybrid plasma accelerator approach can provide additional potential applications.

We may contemplate future high energy accelerators based on these prospects. Their advancements can also usher in HD (high-density) LWFA, which may be adapted to the tip of fiber lasers, for example, acting as an endoscopic cancer therapy device. Mother Nature also sends us her signal that cosmic events such as active galactic nuclei (AGN) and neutron star coalescence are accompanied by cosmic wakefields. Additional exciting prospects of applications are not limited to future high energy accelerators, but also to quantum gravity, such as the investigation of the black hole Hawking effect, and to non-thermal nuclear fusion.

This Special Issue aims at presenting an overview of cutting-edge research   vision, results, and their applications. We welcome broad, visionary contributions of short research reports as well as a collection of reviews of accomplishments. We are excited to invite researchers to submit their contributions to this Special Issue. Topics include but are not limited to:

  • Laser accelerators;
  • Collective wakefield dynamics, its control, experimental realizations, and measurements;
  • LWFA for a future high-energy accelerator;
  • Hybrid LWFA-PWFA;
  • High-density LWFA;
  • Laser ion acceleration;
  • Medical and other applications of LWFA;
  • LWFA and X-rays;
  • Cosmic wakefields and observational signatures;
  • Laser wakefield induced analog black holes;
  • Wakefields for fusion and fission

Prof. Dr. Toshiki Tajima
Prof. Dr. Pisin Chen
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • Laser accelerators
  • Collective wakefield dynamics, its control, experimental realizations, and measurements
  • LWFA for a future high-energy accelerator
  • Hybrid LWFA-PWFA
  • High-density LWFA
  • Laser ion acceleration
  • Medical and other applications of LWFA
  • LWFA and X-rays
  • Cosmic wakefields and observational signatures
  • Laser wakefield induced analog black holes
  • Wakefields for fusion and fission energies

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Published Papers (15 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 148 KiB  
Editorial
Preface for Special Issue: Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects
by Toshiki Tajima and Pisin Chen
Photonics 2023, 10(3), 292; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10030292 - 10 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1417
Abstract
In early 2022, one of the authors (Professor T [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)

Research

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19 pages, 1619 KiB  
Article
Revisiting Experimental Signatures of the Ponderomotive Force
by Bjorn Manuel Hegelich, Lance Labun and Ou Z. Labun
Photonics 2023, 10(2), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10020226 - 20 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3841
Abstract
The classical theory of single-electron dynamics in focused laser pulses is the foundation of both the relativistic ponderomotive force (RPF), which underlies models of laser-collective-plasma dynamics, and the discovery of novel strong-field radiation dynamics. Despite this bedrock importance, consensus eludes the community as [...] Read more.
The classical theory of single-electron dynamics in focused laser pulses is the foundation of both the relativistic ponderomotive force (RPF), which underlies models of laser-collective-plasma dynamics, and the discovery of novel strong-field radiation dynamics. Despite this bedrock importance, consensus eludes the community as to whether acceleration of single electrons in vacuum has been observed in experimental conditions. We analyze an early experiment on the RPF with respect to several features that were neglected in modeling and that can restore consistency between theory predictions and experimental data. The right or wrong pulse profile function, laser parameters, or initial electron distribution can each make or break the agreement between predictions and data. The laser phase at which the electron’s interaction with the pulse begins has a large effect, explaining why much larger energies are achieved by electrons liberated in the focal region by photoionization from high-Z atoms and by electrons ejected from a plasma mirror. Finally, we compute the difference in a typical electron spectrum arising from fluctuating focal spot size in state-of-the-art ultra-relativistic laser facilities. Our results emphasize the importance of thoroughly characterizing laser parameters in order to achieve quantitatively accurate predictions and the precision required for discovery science. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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22 pages, 5653 KiB  
Article
Introduction of Research Work on Laser Proton Acceleration and Its Application Carried out on Compact Laser–Plasma Accelerator at Peking University
by Dongyu Li, Tang Yang, Minjian Wu, Zhusong Mei, Kedong Wang, Chunyang Lu, Yanying Zhao, Wenjun Ma, Kun Zhu, Yixing Geng, Gen Yang, Chijie Xiao, Jiaer Chen, Chen Lin, Toshiki Tajima and Xueqing Yan
Photonics 2023, 10(2), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10020132 - 28 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3627
Abstract
Laser plasma acceleration has made remarkable progress in the last few decades, but it also faces many challenges. Although the high gradient is a great potential advantage, the beam quality of the laser accelerator has a certain gap, or it is different from [...] Read more.
Laser plasma acceleration has made remarkable progress in the last few decades, but it also faces many challenges. Although the high gradient is a great potential advantage, the beam quality of the laser accelerator has a certain gap, or it is different from that of traditional accelerators. Therefore, it is important to explore and utilize its own features. In this article, some recent research progress on laser proton acceleration and its irradiation application, which was carried out on the compact laser plasma accelerator (CLAPA) platform at Peking University, have been introduced. By combining a TW laser accelerator and a monoenergetic beamline, proton beams with energies of less than 10 MeV, an energy spread of less than 1%, and with several to tens of pC charge, have been stably produced and transported in CLAPA. The beamline is an object–image point analyzing system, which ensures the transmission efficiency and the energy selection accuracy for proton beams with large initial divergence angle and energy spread. A spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) is produced with high precision beam control, which preliminarily proved the feasibility of the laser accelerator for radiotherapy. Some application experiments based on laser-accelerated proton beams have also been carried out, such as proton radiograph, preparation of graphene on SiC, ultra-high dose FLASH radiation of cancer cells, and ion-beam trace probes for plasma diagnosis. The above applications take advantage of the unique characteristics of laser-driven protons, such as a micron scale point source, an ultra-short pulse duration, a wide energy spectrum, etc. A new laser-driven proton therapy facility (CLAPA II) is being designed and is under construction at Peking University. The 100 MeV proton beams will be produced via laser–plasma interaction by using a 2-PW laser, which may promote the real-world applications of laser accelerators in malignant tumor treatment soon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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29 pages, 9649 KiB  
Article
AnaBHEL (Analog Black Hole Evaporation via Lasers) Experiment: Concept, Design, and Status
by Pisin Chen, Gerard Mourou, Marc Besancon, Yuji Fukuda, Jean-Francois Glicenstein, Jiwoo Nam, Ching-En Lin, Kuan-Nan Lin, Shu-Xiao Liu, Yung-Kun Liu, Masaki Kando, Kotaro Kondo, Stathes Paganis, Alexander Pirozhkov, Hideaki Takabe, Boris Tuchming, Wei-Po Wang, Naoki Watamura, Jonathan Wheeler and Hsin-Yeh Wu
Photonics 2022, 9(12), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9121003 - 19 Dec 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3631
Abstract
Accelerating relativistic mirrors have long been recognized as viable settings where the physics mimic those of the black hole Hawking radiation. In 2017, Chen and Mourou proposed a novel method to realize such a system by traversing an ultra-intense laser through a plasma [...] Read more.
Accelerating relativistic mirrors have long been recognized as viable settings where the physics mimic those of the black hole Hawking radiation. In 2017, Chen and Mourou proposed a novel method to realize such a system by traversing an ultra-intense laser through a plasma target with a decreasing density. An international AnaBHEL (Analog Black Hole Evaporation via Lasers) collaboration was formed with the objectives of observing the analog Hawking radiation, shedding light on the information loss paradox. To reach these goals, we plan to first verify the dynamics of the flying plasma mirror and characterize the correspondence between the plasma density gradient and the trajectory of the accelerating plasma mirror. We will then attempt to detect the analog Hawking radiation photons and measure the entanglement between the Hawking photons and their “partner particles”. In this paper, we describe our vision and strategy of AnaBHEL using the Apollon laser as a reference, and we report on the progress of our R&D concerning the key components in this experiment, including the supersonic gas jet with a graded density profile, and the superconducting nanowire single-photon Hawking detector. In parallel to these hardware efforts, we performed computer simulations to estimate the potential backgrounds, and derived analytic expressions for modifications to the blackbody spectrum of the Hawking radiation for a perfectly reflecting point mirror, due to the semi-transparency and finite-size effects specific to flying plasma mirrors. Based on this more realistic radiation spectrum, we estimate the Hawking photon yield to guide the design of the AnaBHEL experiment, which appears to be achievable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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14 pages, 3376 KiB  
Article
Laser Wakefield Photoneutron Generation with Few-Cycle High-Repetition-Rate Laser Systems
by Daniel Papp, Ales Necas, Nasr Hafz, Toshiki Tajima, Sydney Gales, Gerard Mourou, Gabor Szabo and Christos Kamperidis
Photonics 2022, 9(11), 826; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9110826 - 3 Nov 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2813
Abstract
Simulations of photoneutron generation are presented for the anticipated experimental campaign at ELI-ALPS using the under-commissioning e-SYLOS beamline. Photoneutron generation is a three-step process starting with the creation of a relativistic electron beam which is converted to gamma radiation, which in turn generates [...] Read more.
Simulations of photoneutron generation are presented for the anticipated experimental campaign at ELI-ALPS using the under-commissioning e-SYLOS beamline. Photoneutron generation is a three-step process starting with the creation of a relativistic electron beam which is converted to gamma radiation, which in turn generates neutrons via the γ,n interaction in high-Z material. Electrons are accelerated to relativistic energies using the laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) mechanism. The LWFA process is simulated with a three-dimensional particle in cell code to generate an electron bunch of 100s pC charge from a 100 mJ, 9 fs laser interaction with a helium gas jet target. The resultant electron spectrum is transported through a lead sphere with the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code to convert electrons to gammas and gammas to neutrons in a single simulation. A neutron yield of 3×107 per shot over 4π is achieved, with a corresponding neutron yield per kW of 6×1011 n/s/kW. The paper concludes with a discussion on the attractiveness of LWFA-driven photoneutron generation on high impact, and societal applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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12 pages, 4014 KiB  
Article
Compressing High Energy Lasers through Optical Polymer Films
by Jonathan Wheeler, Gabriel Petrişor Bleotu, Andrei Naziru, Riccardo Fabbri, Masruri Masruri, Radu Secareanu, Deano M. Farinella, Gabriel Cojocaru, Razvan Ungureanu, Elsa Baynard, Julien Demailly, Moana Pittman, Razvan Dabu, Ioan Dancus, Daniel Ursescu, David Ros, Toshiki Tajima and Gerard Mourou
Photonics 2022, 9(10), 715; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9100715 - 30 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2544
Abstract
The thin-film post-compression technique has the ability to reduce the pulse duration in PW-class lasers, increasing the peak power. Here, the nonlinear response of an increasingly available optical thermoplastic demonstrates enhanced spectral broadening, with corresponding shorter pulse duration compared to fused silica glass. [...] Read more.
The thin-film post-compression technique has the ability to reduce the pulse duration in PW-class lasers, increasing the peak power. Here, the nonlinear response of an increasingly available optical thermoplastic demonstrates enhanced spectral broadening, with corresponding shorter pulse duration compared to fused silica glass. The thermoplastic can be used close to its damage threshold when refreshed using a roller mechanism, and the total amount of material can be varied by folding the film. As a proof-of-principle demonstration scalable to 10-PW, a roller mechanism capable of up to 6 passes through a sub-millimeter thermoplastic film is used in vacuum to produce two-fold post-compression of the pulse. The compact design makes it an ideal method to further boost ultrahigh laser pulse intensities with benefits to many areas, including driving high energy acceleration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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10 pages, 2104 KiB  
Article
Laser Beat-Wave Acceleration near Critical Density
by Ernesto Barraza-Valdez, Toshiki Tajima, Donna Strickland and Dante E. Roa
Photonics 2022, 9(7), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9070476 - 8 Jul 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3708
Abstract
We consider high-density laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) in the nonrelativistic regime of the laser. In place of an ultrashort laser pulse, we can excite wakefields via the Laser Beat Wave (BW) that accesses this near-critical density regime. Here, we use 1D Particle-in-Cell (PIC) [...] Read more.
We consider high-density laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) in the nonrelativistic regime of the laser. In place of an ultrashort laser pulse, we can excite wakefields via the Laser Beat Wave (BW) that accesses this near-critical density regime. Here, we use 1D Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulations to study BW acceleration using two co-propagating lasers in a near-critical density material. We show that BW acceleration near the critical density allows for acceleration of electrons to greater than keV energies at far smaller intensities, such as 1014 W/cm2, through the low phase velocity dynamics of wakefields that are excited in this scheme. Near-critical density laser BW acceleration has many potential applications including high-dose radiation therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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12 pages, 4235 KiB  
Article
Laser Ion Acceleration in a Near Critical Density Trap
by Ales Necas, Toshiki Tajima, Gerard Mourou and Karoly Osvay
Photonics 2022, 9(7), 453; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9070453 - 28 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2727
Abstract
In order to accelerate ions by a laser, we go back to the original and the fundamental idea of how longitudinal field structure generation can be carried out in an ionized media and how particles may be trapped by the created wakefield. The [...] Read more.
In order to accelerate ions by a laser, we go back to the original and the fundamental idea of how longitudinal field structure generation can be carried out in an ionized media and how particles may be trapped by the created wakefield. The latter condition is characterized by the phase velocity of the longitudinal structure vph be equal to the particle trapping width vtr. Since the trapping width is inversely proportional to the square-root of the mass of the accelerated particles, this width is much shorter for ions than for electrons. Thus, our dictum for laser ion acceleration is to impose a near critical density trap to decelerate laser group velocity, vg and subsequently to generate longitudinal wakefield to be able to trap ions under the condition of vtr = vph. We demonstrate this concept by PIC simulation and find that this method is effective, and the efficiency of laser ion acceleration is enhanced by a couple of orders of magnitude toward unity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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7 pages, 3896 KiB  
Communication
Investigation of the Way of Phase Synchronization of a Self-Injected Bunch and an Accelerating Wakefield in Solid-State Plasma
by Vasyl I. Maslov, Denys S. Bondar and Ivan N. Onishchenko
Photonics 2022, 9(3), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9030174 - 11 Mar 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2102
Abstract
The electron acceleration, in a laser wakefield accelerator, controlled through plasma density inhomogeneity is studied on a basis of 2.5-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation. The acceleration requires a concordance of the density scale length and shift of the accelerated electron bunch relative to wake bubble [...] Read more.
The electron acceleration, in a laser wakefield accelerator, controlled through plasma density inhomogeneity is studied on a basis of 2.5-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation. The acceleration requires a concordance of the density scale length and shift of the accelerated electron bunch relative to wake bubble during electron acceleration. This paper considers the excitation of a wakefield in plasma with a density equal to the density of free electrons in metals, solid-state plasma (the original idea of Prof. T. Tajima), in the context of studying the wakefield process. As is known in the wake process, as the wake bubble moves through the plasma, the self-injected electron bunch shifts along the wake bubble. Then, the self-injected bunch falls into the phase of deceleration of the wake wave. In this paper, support of the acceleration process by maintaining the position of the self-injected electron bunch using an inhomogeneous plasma is proposed. It is confirmed that the method of maintaining phase synchronization proposed in the article by using a nonuniform plasma leads to an increase in the accelerating gradient and energy of the accelerated electron bunch in comparison with the case of self-injection and acceleration in a homogeneous plasma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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Review

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14 pages, 7122 KiB  
Review
Progress in Hybrid Plasma Wakefield Acceleration
by Bernhard Hidding, Ralph Assmann, Michael Bussmann, David Campbell, Yen-Yu Chang, Sébastien Corde, Jurjen Couperus Cabadağ, Alexander Debus, Andreas Döpp, Max Gilljohann, J. Götzfried, F. Moritz Foerster, Florian Haberstroh, Fahim Habib, Thomas Heinemann, Dominik Hollatz, Arie Irman, Malte Kaluza, Stefan Karsch, Olena Kononenko, Alexander Knetsch, Thomas Kurz, Stephan Kuschel, Alexander Köhler, Alberto Martinez de la Ossa, Alastair Nutter, Richard Pausch, Gaurav Raj, Ulrich Schramm, Susanne Schöbel, Andreas Seidel, Klaus Steiniger, Patrick Ufer, Mark Yeung, Omid Zarini and Matt Zepfadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Photonics 2023, 10(2), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10020099 - 17 Jan 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3949
Abstract
Plasma wakefield accelerators can be driven either by intense laser pulses (LWFA) or by intense particle beams (PWFA). A third approach that combines the complementary advantages of both types of plasma wakefield accelerator has been established with increasing success over the last decade [...] Read more.
Plasma wakefield accelerators can be driven either by intense laser pulses (LWFA) or by intense particle beams (PWFA). A third approach that combines the complementary advantages of both types of plasma wakefield accelerator has been established with increasing success over the last decade and is called hybrid LWFA→PWFA. Essentially, a compact LWFA is exploited to produce an energetic, high-current electron beam as a driver for a subsequent PWFA stage, which, in turn, is exploited for phase-constant, inherently laser-synchronized, quasi-static acceleration over extended acceleration lengths. The sum is greater than its parts: the approach not only provides a compact, cost-effective alternative to linac-driven PWFA for exploitation of PWFA and its advantages for acceleration and high-brightness beam generation, but extends the parameter range accessible for PWFA and, through the added benefit of co-location of inherently synchronized laser pulses, enables high-precision pump/probing, injection, seeding and unique experimental constellations, e.g., for beam coordination and collision experiments. We report on the accelerating progress of the approach achieved in a series of collaborative experiments and discuss future prospects and potential impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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20 pages, 17591 KiB  
Review
High-Quality Laser-Accelerated Ion Beams from Structured Targets
by Martin Matys, Jan Psikal, Katsunobu Nishihara, Ondrej Klimo, Martin Jirka, Petr Valenta and Sergei V. Bulanov
Photonics 2023, 10(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10010061 - 6 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4190
Abstract
In this work, we reviewed our results on the prospect of increasing the quality of ion acceleration driven by high-intensity laser pulses using low-Z structured targets. It is shown that the radiation pressure acceleration mechanism dominates over target normal sheath acceleration for assumed [...] Read more.
In this work, we reviewed our results on the prospect of increasing the quality of ion acceleration driven by high-intensity laser pulses using low-Z structured targets. It is shown that the radiation pressure acceleration mechanism dominates over target normal sheath acceleration for assumed laser target parameters when the laser intensity is high enough. The target thickness is optimized for this regime and double-layer structure is investigated. When a corrugation is fabricated on the interface of such a target, a relativistic instability with Rayleigh–Taylor and Richtmyer–Meshkov like features can be driven by the target interaction with a high intensity laser pulse. The proper development of this instability leads to the generation of a collimated quasi-monoenergetic ion beam with lower emittance, divergence, and energy spread compared to a single and double-layer target with planar interface. A steep-front laser pulse is used in our simulations to mitigate other type of instabilities arising at the target surface from the laser–target interaction. We discuss the use of a plasma shutter to generate the required pulse profile, which also locally increases intensity. The obtained shape improves the ion acceleration, including higher maximal energy and lower beam divergence, in our simulation of a high-Z target. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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12 pages, 9905 KiB  
Review
Prospects of Relativistic Flying Mirrors for Ultra-High-Field Science
by Masaki Kando, Alexander S. Pirozhkov, James K. Koga, Timur Zh. Esirkepov and Sergei V. Bulanov
Photonics 2022, 9(11), 862; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9110862 - 15 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3057
Abstract
Recent progress of high-peak-power lasers makes researchers envisage ultra-high-field science; however, the current or near future facilities will not be strong enough to reach the vacuum breakdown intensity, i.e., the Schwinger field. To address this difficulty, a relativistic flying mirror (RFM) technology is [...] Read more.
Recent progress of high-peak-power lasers makes researchers envisage ultra-high-field science; however, the current or near future facilities will not be strong enough to reach the vacuum breakdown intensity, i.e., the Schwinger field. To address this difficulty, a relativistic flying mirror (RFM) technology is proposed to boost the focused intensity by double the Doppler effect of an incoming laser pulse. We review the principle, theoretical, and experimental progress of the RFM, as well as its prospects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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12 pages, 1105 KiB  
Review
Review of Quality Optimization of Electron Beam Based on Laser Wakefield Acceleration
by Kangnan Jiang, Wentao Wang, Ke Feng and Ruxin Li
Photonics 2022, 9(8), 511; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9080511 - 23 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2884
Abstract
Compared with state-of-the-art radio frequency accelerators, the gradient of laser wakefield accelerators is 3–4 orders of magnitude higher. This is of great significance in the development of miniaturized particle accelerators and radiation sources. Higher requirements have been proposed for the quality of electron [...] Read more.
Compared with state-of-the-art radio frequency accelerators, the gradient of laser wakefield accelerators is 3–4 orders of magnitude higher. This is of great significance in the development of miniaturized particle accelerators and radiation sources. Higher requirements have been proposed for the quality of electron beams, owing to the increasing application requirements of tabletop radiation sources, specifically with the rapid development of free-electron laser devices. This review briefly examines the electron beam quality optimization scheme based on laser wakefield acceleration and presents some representative studies. In addition, manipulation of the electron beam phase space by means of injection, plasma profile distribution, and laser evolution is described. This review of studies is beneficial for further promoting the application of laser wakefield accelerators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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14 pages, 1924 KiB  
Review
Ultrafast Fiber Technologies for Compact Laser Wake Field in Medical Application
by Weijian Sha, Jean-Christophe Chanteloup and Gérard Mourou
Photonics 2022, 9(6), 423; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9060423 - 16 Jun 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3929
Abstract
Technologies, performances and maturity of ultrafast fiber lasers and fiber delivery of ultrafast pulses are discussed for the medical deployment of laser-wake-field acceleration (LWFA). The compact ultrafast fiber lasers produce intense laser pulses with flexible hollow-core fiber delivery to facilitate electron acceleration in [...] Read more.
Technologies, performances and maturity of ultrafast fiber lasers and fiber delivery of ultrafast pulses are discussed for the medical deployment of laser-wake-field acceleration (LWFA). The compact ultrafast fiber lasers produce intense laser pulses with flexible hollow-core fiber delivery to facilitate electron acceleration in the laser-stimulated wake field near treatment site, empowering endoscopic LWFA brachytherapy. With coherent beam combination of multiple fiber amplifiers, the advantages of ultrafast fiber lasers are further extended to bring in more capabilities in compact LWFA applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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Other

10 pages, 1446 KiB  
Perspective
Fiber-Optic Based Laser Wakefield Accelerated Electron Beams and Potential Applications in Radiotherapy Cancer Treatments
by Dante Roa, Jeffrey Kuo, Harry Moyses, Peter Taborek, Toshiki Tajima, Gerard Mourou and Fuyuhiko Tamanoi
Photonics 2022, 9(6), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9060403 - 8 Jun 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3595
Abstract
Ultra-compact electron beam technology based on laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) could have a significant impact on radiotherapy treatments. Recent developments in LWFA high-density regime (HD-LWFA) and low-intensity fiber optically transmitted laser beams could allow for cancer treatments with electron beams from a miniature [...] Read more.
Ultra-compact electron beam technology based on laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) could have a significant impact on radiotherapy treatments. Recent developments in LWFA high-density regime (HD-LWFA) and low-intensity fiber optically transmitted laser beams could allow for cancer treatments with electron beams from a miniature electronic source. Moreover, an electron beam emitted from a tip of a fiber optic channel could lead to new endoscopy-based radiotherapy, which is not currently available. Low-energy (10 keV–1 MeV) LWFA electron beams can be produced by irradiating high-density nano-materials with a low-intensity laser in the range of ~1014 W/cm2. This energy range could be useful in radiotherapy and, specifically, brachytherapy for treating superficial, interstitial, intravascular, and intracavitary tumors. Furthermore, it could unveil the next generation of high-dose-rate brachytherapy systems that are not dependent on radioactive sources, do not require specially designed radiation-shielded rooms for treatment, could be portable, could provide a selection of treatment energies, and would significantly reduce operating costs to a radiation oncology clinic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Laser Accelerator and Future Prospects)
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