Multi-GeV electron beam generation via two-stage laser wakefield acceleration.

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Particle Acceleration
• Laser-Plasma Interactions

Background:

• Multi-stage laser wakefield acceleration (MSLWFA) shows promise but faces challenges in inter-stage coupling and injection timing.
• Achieving high-quality, multi-GeV electron beams requires precise control over laser-plasma interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of laser-beam injection delay on electron beam properties in a two-stage laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) scheme.
• To demonstrate a method for enhancing electron beam energy and quality through optimized synchronization.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations to model a two-stage LWFA system.
• Propagating a high-intensity laser pulse through a helium gas target to generate an initial electron beam.
• Systematically varying the injection delay for the second stage to optimize electron beam parameters.

Main Results:

• A two-stage LWFA scheme successfully produced multi-GeV electron beams over millimeter scales.
• Optimized injection delay enhanced injected bunch energy to 2.5 GeV and background electrons to 3 GeV.
• Reduced energy spread and preserved charge were observed with controlled injection timing.

Conclusions:

• Laser-beam injection delay is a critical parameter for efficient multi-stage laser wakefield acceleration.
• Synchronization and plasma tailoring are essential strategies for advancing LWFA technologies.
• Findings are relevant for future multi-pulse and flying-focus LWFA configurations.