Emerging ps-TW CO2 laser technology for high energy physics applications

摘要

A brief overview of laser acceleration techniques and a comparative analysis of the picosecond terawatt (ps-TW) CO2 laser technology versus T(sup 3) solid state lasers for prospective HEP applications. Special attention is given to two laser accelerator schemes. The first one is the far-field staged laser accelerator, STELLA, which is under exploration at the ATF using a CO2 laser. The second is a laser wakefield accelerator where ps-TW CO2 lasers have a great potential. Inverse to the laser accelerator, a prospective monochromatic x-ray source feasible at the ATF will also utilize a 50 MeV subpicosecond electron beam and the first ps-TW CO2 laser, PITER I.