%0 Journal Article %1 Geddes_2004 %A Geddes, C. G. R. %A Toth, Cs %A van Tilborg, J. %A Esarey, E. %A Schroeder, C. B. %A Bruhwiler, D. %A Nieter, C. %A Cary, J. %A Leemans, W. P. %D 2004 %J Nature %K dreambeam, lwfa %N 7008 %P 538--541 %R 10.1038/nature02900 %T High-quality electron beams from a laser wakefield accelerator using plasma-channel guiding %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature02900 %V 431 %X Laser-driven accelerators, in which particles are accelerated by the electric field of a plasma wave (the wakefield) driven by an intense laser, have demonstrated accelerating electric fields of hundreds of GV m-1. These fields are thousands of times greater than those achievable in conventional radio-frequency accelerators, spurring interest in laser accelerators as compact next-generation sources of energetic electrons and radiation. To date, however, acceleration distances have been severely limited by the lack of a controllable method for extending the propagation distance of the focused laser pulse. The ensuing short acceleration distance results in low-energy beams with 100 per cent electron energy spread, which limits potential applications. Here we demonstrate a laser accelerator that produces electron beams with an energy spread of a few per cent, low emittance and increased energy (more than 10^9 electrons above 80 MeV). Our technique involves the use of a preformed plasma density channel to guide a relativistically intense laser, resulting in a longer propagation distance. The results open the way for compact and tunable high-brightness sources of electrons and radiation.

@article{Geddes_2004, abstract = {Laser-driven accelerators, in which particles are accelerated by the electric field of a plasma wave (the wakefield) driven by an intense laser, have demonstrated accelerating electric fields of hundreds of GV m-1. These fields are thousands of times greater than those achievable in conventional radio-frequency accelerators, spurring interest in laser accelerators as compact next-generation sources of energetic electrons and radiation. To date, however, acceleration distances have been severely limited by the lack of a controllable method for extending the propagation distance of the focused laser pulse. The ensuing short acceleration distance results in low-energy beams with 100 per cent electron energy spread, which limits potential applications. Here we demonstrate a laser accelerator that produces electron beams with an energy spread of a few per cent, low emittance and increased energy (more than 10^9 electrons above 80 MeV). Our technique involves the use of a preformed plasma density channel to guide a relativistically intense laser, resulting in a longer propagation distance. The results open the way for compact and tunable high-brightness sources of electrons and radiation.}, added-at = {2012-04-11T14:04:10.000+0200}, author = {Geddes, C. G. R. and Toth, Cs and van Tilborg, J. and Esarey, E. and Schroeder, C. B. and Bruhwiler, D. and Nieter, C. and Cary, J. and Leemans, W. P.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/27b5dcdaa3f34b4458ddd1079386a5752/pkilian}, doi = {10.1038/nature02900}, interhash = {be4b1b1d193b513ef7626b06e758bc75}, intrahash = {7b5dcdaa3f34b4458ddd1079386a5752}, journal = {Nature}, keywords = {dreambeam, lwfa}, month = {September}, number = 7008, pages = {538--541}, timestamp = {2012-04-11T14:04:12.000+0200}, title = {High-quality electron beams from a laser wakefield accelerator using plasma-channel guiding}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature02900}, volume = 431, year = 2004 }