Speaker
Description
The Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) combines a multi-terawatt picosecond long-wave infrared (LWIR) laser (~10 μm wavelength) with a synchronized high-brightness relativistic electron beam from a photocathode linac and near-infrared lasers for optical diagnostics. Of particular importance are high-density plasmas at or above the critical density, where the LWIR laser propagation abruptly terminates and energy is deposited within a narrow layer at the critical surface. The localized energy deposition produces large populations of hot electrons that generate strong charge-separation fields capable of accelerating ions and launching electrostatic shock waves, thereby generating dense ion bunches with picosecond duration and high charge density. The purpose of this study is to explore the possibility toward dedicated experimental platforms for fundamental plasma studies relevant to fusion energy, where detailed diagnostics can directly probe laser–plasma dynamics under controlled conditions.
| Working group | WG2 |
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