CAREER: Two-Color, Dynamic Laser-Plasma Interactions Towards Table-Top Beam Sources

这项职业奖使人们能够研究一种新的方法来修改等离子体波，以产生应用质量的电子束。60多年来，粒子加速器为科学发现、工业应用和医学进步提供了革命性的能力。等离子体物理领域的最新发展导致了等离子体波的出现，它是一种非常有效的粒子加速的有前途的介质。这是因为这些波可以承受比传统加速结构产生的力高数百倍的力。该项目利用布鲁克海文国家实验室最先进的激光光源，有可能实现新一代紧凑型加速器和辐射源。该项目还将有助于培养一支强大的本科生渠道，特别是代表不足的少数族裔，进入等离子物理研究生课程。这将通过开发数学和物理沉浸计划，并与石溪大学现有的教育和研究基础设施相协调，包括REU计划。利用先进的计算技术和独特的实验设备，该项目旨在展示对激光-等离子体相互作用的动态修改的有意控制，目标是产生与最先进的传统加速器相当的电荷、能量扩散和发射度的电子束。钛宝石(λ~1μm)激光脉冲将作为点火器对强CO_2(λ~10μm)驱动激光脉冲产生的等离子体波进行调制。这种等离子体波的可控修正是通过一种被称为“飞行焦点”的方法对点火器脉冲进行时空控制来实现的。然后，在等离子体波中被点火器脉冲电离的电子将被捕获并形成加速光束。由于对点火器脉冲的性质进行了细致的控制，注入的电子的性质也可以被仔细地控制。实现这一项目的目标将对科学和工业的各个领域产生重大影响。作为从紧凑型等离子体加速器产生高质量电子束的使能部件，它支持高能物理、飞秒辐射源开发以及医学等应用领域。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This CAREER award enables investigation of a novel method for modifying plasma waves towards generating application-quality electron beams. Particle accelerators have provided transformative capabilities for scientific discovery, industrial applications, and medical advancements for over 60 years. Recent developments in the field of plasma physics have led to the emergence of plasma waves as a promising medium for very efficient particle acceleration. This is because these waves can sustain forces that are hundreds of times higher than those generated in conventional accelerating structures. This project leverages state of the art laser sources at the Brookhaven National Laboratory with the potential for enabling a new generation of compact accelerators and radiation sources. The project will also contribute to developing a strong pipeline of undergraduate students, and in particular underrepresented minorities, into graduate plasma physics programs. This will be accomplished through the development of math and physics immersion programs, and in coordination with the existing educational and research infrastructure currently present at Stony Brook University, including the REU program.Leveraging advanced computational techniques and unique experimental facilities, this project aims to demonstrate deliberate control over the dynamic modifications of laser-plasma interactions with the goal of producing electron beams with the charge, energy spread, and emittance comparable to the state-of-the-art conventional accelerators. A Ti:Sapphire (λ~1 μm) laser pulse will act as an ignitor to modify the plasma wave generated by an intense CO2 (λ~10 μm) drive laser pulse. Controlled modification of this plasma wave is achieved by the spatiotemporal control of the ignitor pulse via a method known as the ‘flying focus’. Electrons ionized by the ignitor pulse within the plasma wave will then be captured and form the accelerating beam. Because of the meticulous control over the properties of the ignitor pulse, the properties of the injected electrons can also be carefully controlled. Achieving the objective of this project will have significant impact on diverse areas of science and industry. As an enabling component for generating high-quality electron beams from compact, plasma-based accelerators, it enables application areas such as high energy physics, femtosecond radiation source development, as well as medicine.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.