Extreme Ultraviolet Generation and Spectroscopy in Laser Wakefield Accelerators

该奖项支持一项关于如何使用功率强大的激光来制造极端紫外线光源的研究。光使我们能够看到我们周围的世界，不仅是用我们的眼睛，而且还通过使用工具，如显微镜。我们能看到的最小物体取决于使用的光的颜色；蓝光比红光能看到更小的物体，而紫外线能看到更小的物体。极端紫外光可以看到小到分子的物体，也是目前用于制造最先进的计算机芯片的光。制造高亮度的极端紫外线(EUV)光源是非常困难和昂贵的。该项目旨在了解如何使用非常强大的激光来制造极紫外光光源，并衡量光在应用中的实用性。该项目将对激光尾波场加速(LWFA)中产生的极紫外光的发射进行实验表征。本研究主要从两个方面进行：(1)利用极紫外发射来表征和更好地了解与LWFA相关的等离子体条件；(2)研究LWFA作为EUV光源的潜力。实验将在千瓦级的激光设备上进行，例如宙斯激光器，在那里将研究各种加速和注入方案以及EUV光谱。将对激光-等离子体相互作用进行数值模拟，以确定最合适的模型来描述这一中间能量范围内的物理。通过测量等离子体发射，等离子体温度将通过模拟推断并与注入电荷相关联。这一奖项反映了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 award supports a study of how powerful lasers may be used to make extreme ultraviolet light sources. Light enables us to see the world around us, both literally with our eyes but also through the use of tools such as microscopes. The smallest objects we can see depend on the color of the light used; blue light can see smaller objects than red light, and ultraviolet light can see smaller objects still. Extreme ultraviolet light can see objects as small as molecules and is the light that is currently used to manufacture state-of-the-art computer chips. High brightness sources of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light are very difficult and expensive to make. This project aims to understand how extremely powerful lasers may be used to make an EUV light source, and to gauge the practicality of the light for applications. The project will experimentally characterize the emission of EUV light as generated in laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). There are two main facets of this research: (1) to use EUV emission to characterize and better understand the plasma conditions related to LWFA, and (2) to investigate the potential of LWFA as an EUV light source. Experiments will be performed on PetaWatt laser facilities such as the ZEUS laser, where various acceleration and injection regimes and EUV spectroscopy will be investigated. Numerical modeling of laser-plasma interactions will be performed to determine the most suitable models to describe the physics in this intermediate energy range. With measurements of plasma emission, the plasma temperature will be inferred and correlated with injected charge via simulations.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.