Nonlinear Optics and Dynamics of Relativistically Transparent Plasmas

非线性光学和相对论透明等离子体动力学

• 批准号: EP/R006202/1
• 负责人: Paul McKenna
• 金额: $ 145.55万
• 依托单位: University of Strathclyde
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2017 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FR006202%2F1
• 关键词: Nonlinear; Optics; Dynamics; Relativistically; Transparent

.The fundamental properties of optics are well understood at moderate light intensities. However, at the highest intensities capable of being produced using state-of-the-art lasers, many new and useful optical phenomena arise. When a high intensity laser pulse is focused onto a medium it generates a plasma and can drive extreme temperatures and intense electric and magnetic fields. This results in the production of beams of high energy particles and radiation with unique properties, which are opening up new frontiers in science and new applications. The plasma electrons quiver in the intense laser field at velocities close to the speed of light, which changes fundamental properties of the plasma, such as its refractive index. The fact that the particle motion and nonlinear optical properties dynamically evolve in response to inter-action with the laser pulse means that the plasma can act as an active optical element. If harnessed, this would provide researchers with a tool to dynamically control both the properties of ultraintense laser light and the beams of charged particles and radiation produced. Great progress has been made in controlling the collective response of electrons to intense laser pulses propagating in low density (transparent) plasma, resulting in the production of high energy, ultrashort bunches of electrons in a low divergence beam. The situation is more complex in the case of solid density plasma, used for example for ion acceleration and high harmonic generation. The dense plasma acts as a mirror (a plasma mirror), which reflects a significant portion of the laser beam. At ultrahigh laser intensities, however, the nonlinear motion of the plasma electrons results in relativistic optical phenomena which can render the dense plasma transparent.Our proposed research focuses on exploring relativistic plasma optics in ultrathin foils. Such targets initially act as a plasma mirror, reflecting laser light, and evolve over the course of the interaction to become relativistically transparent. This transient behaviour offers a promising route to controlling charged particle acceleration in dense plasma. During the opaque phase of the interaction, strong longitudinal electrostatic fields are generated, resulting in forward-directed electron and ion beams, which can be controlled using relativistic optical effects induced as the laser propagates through the target during transparency. We will investigate this approach as a means of dynamically controlling fundamental properties of the transmitted intense laser light and the resulting high energy particles and radiation.We will use the complementary capabilities of the new 350 TW laser at the Scottish Centre for the Applications of Plasma Accelerators, in which new techniques can be developed and optimised over time, and the Gemini and Vulcan lasers at the Central Laser Facility, which offer higher power and dual beam capability. We will also perform closely coupled simulations using high performance computers. This will allow us to investigate the potential for developing relativistic plasma optics processes for the dynamic control of the spatial, temporal and polarisation properties of ultraintense laser pulses. We will investigate the use of this approach for controlling the properties of beams of high energy particles and radiation produced in the interaction. Together with our international partners at the next-generation extreme light infrastructure laser facilities in the Czech Republic and Romania, we will also investigate the physics of relativistic optics and plasma dynamics at ultrahigh intensities, for which high field processes will modify the underpinning physics. We will develop a clear understanding of ultrahigh intensity optical processes, their potential use in developing plasma optical and photonic devices and the dynamic control of particle and radiation production in dense plasma..

.在中等光强度下，光学的基本特性是众所周知的。然而，在使用最先进的激光器能够产生的最高强度下，会出现许多新的有用的光学现象。当高强度激光脉冲聚焦到介质上时，它会产生等离子体，并可以驱动极端温度和强烈的电场和磁场。这导致产生具有独特性质的高能粒子束和辐射，这开辟了科学和新应用的新领域。等离子体电子在强激光场中以接近光速的速度颤动，这改变了等离子体的基本特性，例如其折射率。粒子运动和非线性光学特性响应与激光脉冲的相互作用而动态变化，这一事实意味着等离子体可以充当主动光学元件。如果加以利用，这将为研究人员提供一种工具来动态控制超强激光的特性以及产生的带电粒子束和辐射。在控制电子对低密度（透明）等离子体中传播的强激光脉冲的集体响应方面取得了巨大进展，从而在低发散光束中产生高能、超短电子束。在固体密度等离子体的情况下，情况更为复杂，例如用于离子加速和高次谐波产生。稠密的等离子体充当镜子（等离子体镜），反射大部分激光束。然而，在超高激光强度下，等离子体电子的非线性运动会导致相对论光学现象，从而使致密等离子体变得透明。我们提出的研究重点是探索超薄箔中的相对论等离子体光学。这些目标最初充当等离子体镜，反射激光，并在相互作用的过程中演变为相对论透明。这种瞬态行为为控制致密等离子体中的带电粒子加速提供了一条有前途的途径。在相互作用的不透明阶段，会产生强纵向静电场，从而产生前向电子束和离子束，可以使用透明期间激光传播穿过目标时引起的相对论光学效应来控制电子束和离子束。我们将研究这种方法，作为动态控制传输的强激光以及由此产生的高能粒子和辐射的基本特性的手段。我们将利用苏格兰等离子体加速器应用中心的新型 350 TW 激光器的互补功能，随着时间的推移，可以开发和优化新技术，以及中央激光设施的 Gemini 和 Vulcan 激光器，它们提供更高的功率 和双光束能力。我们还将使用高性能计算机执行紧密耦合的模拟。这将使我们能够研究开发相对论等离子体光学过程的潜力，以动态控制超强激光脉冲的空间、时间和偏振特性。我们将研究使用这种方法来控制高能粒子束的特性以及相互作用中产生的辐射。我们还将与捷克共和国和罗马尼亚下一代极光基础设施激光设施的国际合作伙伴一起研究超高强度下的相对论光学和等离子体动力学物理学，为此高场过程将改变基础物理学。我们将对超高强度光学过程、其在开发等离子体光学和光子器件以及密集等离子体中粒子和辐射产生的动态控制方面的潜在用途有一个清晰的了解。

项目成果

Deconvolution of multi-Boltzmann x-ray distribution from linear absorption spectrometer via analytical parameter reduction

通过分析参数减少对线性吸收光谱仪的多玻尔兹曼 X 射线分布进行反卷积

• DOI: 10.1063/5.0057486
• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: Review of Scientific Instruments
• 影响因子: 1.6
• 作者: Ryusei Okaniwa;Yuichiro Matuszaki;Tatsuma Yamaguchi;Soya Saijo;Hideyuki Watanabe;Norikazu Mizuochi;Yuta Nakano;Norio Tokuda;Kento Sasaki;Kensuke Kobayashi;and Junko Ishi-Hayase;C. D. Armstrong; D. Neely; D. Kumar; P. McKenna; R. J. Gray; and A. S. Pirozhkov
• 通讯作者: C. D. Armstrong; D. Neely; D. Kumar; P. McKenna; R. J. Gray; and A. S. Pirozhkov

Bremsstrahlung emission profile from intense laser-solid interactions as a function of laser focal spot size

• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6587/aaf596
• 发表时间: 2019-03-01
• 期刊: PLASMA PHYSICS AND CONTROLLED FUSION
• 影响因子: 2.2
• 作者: Armstrong, C. D.;Brenner, C. M.;Neely, D.
• 通讯作者: Neely, D.

Bremsstrahlung emission from high power laser interactions with constrained targets for industrial radiography

• DOI: 10.1017/hpl.2019.8
• 发表时间: 2019-04
• 期刊: High Power Laser Science and Engineering
• 影响因子: 4.8
• 作者: C. Armstrong;C. Brenner;C. Jones;D. Rusby;Z. Davidson;Y. Zhang;J. Wragg;S. Richards;C. Spindloe

Calibration of BAS-TR image plate response to GeV gold ions

BAS-TR 图像板对 GeV 金离子响应的校准

• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2202.10385
• 发表时间: 2022
• 作者: Doria D

High order modes of intense second harmonic light produced from a plasma aperture

• DOI: 10.1063/5.0097585
• 发表时间: 2022-09
• 期刊: Matter and Radiation at Extremes
• 影响因子: 5.1
• 作者: E. F. J. Bacon;M. King;R. Wilson;T. P. Frazer;R. Gray;P. McKenna