Extremely powerful and frequency-tunable terahertz pulses from a table-top laser–plasma wiggler
The production of broadband, terawatt terahertz (THz) pulses has been demonstrated by irradiating relativistic lasers on solid targets. However, the generation of extremely powerful, narrow-band and frequency-tunable THz pulses remains a challenge. Here, we present a novel approach for such THz puls...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2023-01-01
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| Series: | High Power Laser Science and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2095471923000786/type/journal_article |
| Summary: | The production of broadband, terawatt terahertz (THz) pulses has been demonstrated by irradiating relativistic lasers on solid targets. However, the generation of extremely powerful, narrow-band and frequency-tunable THz pulses remains a challenge. Here, we present a novel approach for such THz pulses, in which a plasma wiggler is elaborated by a table-top laser and a near-critical density plasma. In such a wiggler, the laser-accelerated electrons emit THz radiations with a period closely related to the plasma thickness. The theoretical model and numerical simulations predict that a THz pulse with a laser–THz energy conversion of over 2.0%, an ultra-strong field exceeding 80 GV/m, a divergence angle of approximately 20° and a center frequency tunable from 4.4 to 1.5 THz can be generated from a laser of 430 mJ. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this method can work across a wide range of laser and plasma parameters, offering potential for future applications with extremely powerful THz pulses. |
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| ISSN: | 2095-4719 2052-3289 |