An analytical optimization of plasma density profiles for downramp injection in laser wake-field acceleration

Abstract

We propose and detail a multi-step analytical procedure, based on an improved fully relativistic plane model for Laser Wake Field Acceleration, to tailor the initial density of a cold diluted plasma to the laser pulse profile, so as to control and optimize the partial wave-breaking of the plasma wave and maximize the acceleration of small bunches of electrons self-injected by the first wave-breaking at the density down-ramp, at least in the first stages of their acceleration phase. We find an excellent agreement with the results of Particle In Cell simulations obtained with the same input data.