Laser electron acceleration with 10 PW lasers

Abstract: The development of new laser systems, in the 10 PW range, will push Laser Wakefield Accelerators (LWFA) to a new qualitative regime, where different configurations, approaches, and parameters can be explored. Based on the design parameters to be expected for some of these systems (e.g. the future Vulcan 10 PW OPCPA laser system), we have explored the optimal parameters for a single LWFA stage, using the theoretical scalings for these parameters (pulse duration ≈30 fs, energy ≈300 J). The scalings predict the possibility to accelerate electron bunches to energies close to the energy frontier, with self-injected electrons in excess of 10 GeV, and above 50 GeV bunches with externally-injected electrons. We have used these parameters as a baseline for 3D full scale simulations, confirming self-guiding of 10 PW lasers over distances in excess of 10 cm, and 12 GeV self-injected beams, in agreement with theoretical predictions for the maximum energy gain and the injected charge. In externally guided configurations, our simulations confirm the accelerating gradients and the stability of the laser guided propagation for the long distances required to reach the energy frontier. To cite this article: L.O. Silva et al., C. R. Physique 10 (2009). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]