Experiments conducted recently demonstrated that electron bunches from a laser-wakefield accelerators can satisfy the criteria for the onset of the FEL instability as a basis to create Superradiance from non-linear Thomson Scattering. These experiments demonstrated that LWFA electron bunches could lase at 27 nm light in an FEL whilst still utilizing a conventional FEL to produce the radiation.

 

This project will take this innovative concept on step further and investigate if superradiant emission can be found that avoids the use of an undulator magnet and relies only on laser and plasmas. The project will be realized in close collaboration with colleagues at the Rutherford Appleton Lab (RAL) in the UK where the Fellow will spend around 2 months per year throughout their project.

 

This project will leverage on a generalized superradiance mechanism that was recently identified. This requires bunches with specific spatial and/or temporal features. Ultra-fast optical streaking techniques will be used to shape bunches in the right way. The Fellow will characterize generalized superradiance in nonlinear Thomson scattering by tackling questions including: Under which conditions could we observe superradiant non-linear Thomson scattering? Can we produce circularly polarized superradiant X-rays, and/or superradiant X-rays with large amounts of orbital angular momentum? Can the process control the directionality of the superradiant light pulses using structured light with advanced spatiotemporal couplings? The project will be conducted in collaboration with RAL. The Fellow will benefit from the theoretical expertise and numerical tools available at IST, in particular our particle-in-cell code Osiris.    

 

The Fellow will have access to the wide-ranging EuPRAXIA-DN training program which will include several international schools and workshops on plasma accelerator science and technology, as well as complementary skills.