High repetition rate of a ‘multi-100TW-class’ laser is required to make a laser-driven free-electron laser attractive for worldwide users. Such laser system is under development currently at ELI ERIC. This laser will be used as a part of the setup, which aims to provide a coherent extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) undulator photon radiation for the worldwide user community, utilizing both self-amplified spontaneous emission and seeded free-electron laser regimes. In order to reach this goal, a high-quality electron beam has to be obtained from a compact laser-plasma-accelerator (LPA) with an unprecedented stability and reproducibility.    

 

Capillary discharges are used in laser plasma accelerators for providing the plasma medium that both forms the wake-field and guides the laser beam. The Fellow will perform experimental study of wave-guiding mechanisms in a preformed plasma channel in the case of the high-repetition rate operation in order to get the high-quality high-energy electron beam suitable for the LPA-based free electron laser (FEL). A dedicated laser-plasma diagnostics will be developed by the Fellow in order to reach an optimum guiding in combination with the laser-plasma acceleration of the electron beam.

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In addition, the Fellow will contribute to an upgrade of the laser beam transport system and the laser beam diagnostics to deliver a controllable laser beam with parameters required for acceleration of the high-quality electron beam with the energy up to 1 GeV. The challenges in the laser handing and optimization of the laser-plasma interaction in the preformed plasma channel will be shared with other Fellows in frame of the ‘Laser-Plasma” work package.   

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The experimental activity will be carried out at ELI ERIC in cooperation with other partners in this work-package, as well as with experts from Czech Technical University.

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The Fellow will work closely with INFN and other EuPRAXIA consortium members on the optimization of the laser and plasma parameters at the interaction point. A secondment to FOTON will contribute important insight into high voltage circuit design of the electrical discharge setup. The Fellow will have access to the wide-ranging EuPRAXIA training program which will include several international schools and workshops on plasma accelerator science and technology, as well as complimentary skills.