Dual-Nozzle gas jets for Laser Plasma Accelerators

Laser Plasma Accelerators (LPAs) could one day replace larger radio-frequency accelerators in medicine and industry. This proposal aims to deliver a key component of such LPAs: a dual- nozzle, tailored gas jet. Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation (AASC) proposes to develop a dual-nozzle gas jet suitable for LPAs. Initial variants include a dual-nozzle jet for the short pulsed Berkeley Lab Laser Accelerator at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab as well as a dual-nozzle jet for the longer pulsed Texas Petawatt laser at the Univ. of Texas Austin. Later we will scale these nozzles to higher density as required for CO2 laser interactions. The challenge and innovation in this project is to deliver to the LPA community a window-less and wall-free gas target that allows tailored density profiles. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: LPAs have the potential to substantially reduce the costs of a particle accelerator. By developing an enabling technology, AASC can add flagpole IP to its existing patent and license it to medical accelerator providers such as Varian Medical Systems.