Optical deflection and temporal characterization of an ultra-fast laser-produced electron beam

ORAL

Abstract

The interaction of a laser-produced electron beam with an ultra-intense laser pulse in free space is studied. We show that the optical pulse with a$_{0}$=0.5 imparts momentum to the electron beam, causing it to deflect along the laser propagation direction. The observed 3-degree angular deflection is found to be independent of polarization and in good agreement with a theoretical model for the interaction of free electrons with a tightly focused gaussian pulse, but only when longitudinal fields are taken into account. This technique is used to temporally characterize a sub-picosecond laser-wakefield-driven electron bunch. Applications to modifying electron-beam properties (i.e., emittance, duration and energy spread) are also discussed.

*National Science Foundation

–

Authors

  • Sudeep Banerjee

    • University of Nebraska

  • Scott Sepke

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska

  • Anthony Valenzuela

    • Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

  • Rahul Shah

    • Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

  • Donald Umstadter

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
    • University of Nebraska