Optimization of THz Radiation Generation from a Laser Wakefield Accelerator

Ultrashort terahertz pulses with energies in the μJ range can be generated with laser wakefield accelerators (LWFA), which are novel, compact accelerators that produce ultrashort electron bunches with energies up to 1 GeV [1] and energy spreads of a few‐percent. Laser pulses interacting with a plasma create accelerated electrons which upon exiting the plasma emit terahertz pulses via transition radiation. Because these electron bunches are ultrashort (