Abstract
Laser wakefield accelerators are now becoming established as indispensable laboratory tools. This is because of their ability to produce high energy electron beams in compact configurations. Here we outline the basic theory of laser wakefield acceleration. One dimensional plasma waves are considered and the differential equation for wakefield generation is derived. The case of wakefield generation at low laser intensity (\(a_0\ll 1\)) is considered to demonstrate the relation between the laser driver and the generated plasma wave. Finally acceleration in the plasma wave is considered. The importance of non-linear and three dimensional effects on the plasma wave growth are discussed.
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Najmudin, Z. (2019). Laser Wakefield Accelerators: Plasma Wave Growth and Acceleration. In: Gizzi, L., Assmann, R., Koester, P., Giulietti, A. (eds) Laser-Driven Sources of High Energy Particles and Radiation. Springer Proceedings in Physics, vol 231. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25850-4_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25850-4_3
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