Plasma Photocathode Beam Brightness Transformer for Laser-Plasma Accelerators

Laser-Plasma accelerator schemes have made many technological advances in recent years. Such schemes are attractive as next generation accelerators for future, compact light source applications. Realization of this technique still requires substantial improvement in electron beam quality (brightness), tunability, and shot-to-shot reliability. In order to provide enhanced beam quality, we propose to use a plasma photocathode concept utilizing a mixed species environment. In the concept, a laser-wakefield produced electron beam is used to drive a plasma blowout in low ionization-threshold material and subsequent acceleration using a plasma wakefield acceleration section. The resultant beam promises to have much higher brightness and more compact spot sizes compared to traditional radiofrequency produced beams, and state-of-the-art laser- plasma-accelerators. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The proposed concept, when coupled as a driver for a future light source, will produce highly monoergetic, ultrashort x-rays that have applicability specifically in all-optical, compact-footprint devices. Such devices are useful for medical imaging and standoff active interrogation of nuclear materials.