Speaker
Description
The X-ray secondary sources driven by high-power lasers comprise unique features of micrometric source size and femtosecond pulse duration and are of high interest for time-resolved high-resolution X-ray imaging in a wide area of applications of physics, material science and biochemistry [1, 2]. The gas target requirements for optimal laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) of electrons and efficient secondary radiation are different and depend on available laser pulse energy, pulse duration, requirements of energy and charge of accelerated particles. The formation of suitable gas density profiles in the path of propagation of laser beam are formed by an array of supersonic nozzles producing shaped targets of required plasma concentration. The gas flow of the nozzles is simulated using ANSYS Fluent software. The LWFA of electrons and radiation are simulated using FBPIC Particle-in-Cell and Synchrad code. The nozzles are manufactured using hybrid nanosecond rear-side processing and Femtosecond Laser-assisted Selective Etching (FLSE) machining technologies from single fused silica block [3,4]. The targets were tested experimentally in co-operation with Lund, ELI-Beams, ELI-ALPS and ENSTA LOA laser centres.
- V. Tomkus et al., “Radiation from laser wakefield accelerated electron beams and betatron radiation using multijet gas targets”, Sci Rep., 10, 16807, (2020).
- M. Lamač et al., Commissioning results of the hard X-ray betatron source at ELI Beamlines, Laser and Plasma Accelerators Workshop LPAW 2025, Ischia Island (Naples), Italy, Apr 13-19, (2025).
- V. Tomkus, et al., “Laser-machined two-stage nozzle optimized for laser wakefield acceleration”, J. Plasm. Phys, 90, 965900102, (2024).
- L. Rovige et al., Symmetric and asymmetric shocked gas jets for laser-plasma experiments, Rev. of Sci. Instr., 92, 083302 (2021).