Gas cell density characterization for laser wakefield acceleration

Abstract

In the design of laser plasma electron injectors for multi-stage laser driven wakefield accelerators, the control of plasma density is a key element to stabilize the acceleration process. A cell with variable parameters is used to confine the gas and tailor the density profile. The gas filling process was characterized both experimentally and by fluid simulations. Results show a good agreement between experiments and simulations. Simulations were also used to study the effect of each of the gas cell parameters on the density distribution and show the possibility to finely control the density profile.