title: Enhanced acceleration of injected electrons in a laser-beat-wave-induced plasma channel.
abstract: Enhanced energy gain of externally injected electrons by a approximately 3 cm long, high-gradient relativistic plasma wave (RPW) is demonstrated. Using a CO2 laser beat wave of duration longer than the ion motion time across the laser spot size, a laser self-guiding process is initiated in a plasma channel. Guiding compensates for ionization-induced defocusing (IID) creating a longer plasma, which extends the interaction length between electrons and the RPW. In contrast to a maximum energy gain of 10 MeV when IID is dominant, the electrons gain up to 38 MeV energy in a laser-beat-wave-induced plasma channel.
authors.affiliation: Neptune Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: S Ya
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Tochitsky
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Narang
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Filip
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Musumeci
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Clayton
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Yoder
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Rosenzweig
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Joshi