A high voltage pulsed power supply to drive a capillary discharge waveguide at KHz repetition rates

Abstract

In laser plasma accelerators (LPAs), electrons are accelerated by the electric field of a laser-driven plasma wave. A plasma channel such as that produced in a capillary discharge waveguide can extend the acceleration distance and increase the electron energy gain. This kind of waveguide utilizes a high voltage pulsed power supply to ionize the gas and heat the resulting plasma inside the waveguide. High repetition rate capillary discharge structures are being investigated to enable applications such as future light sources and high-energy colliders. This paper describes the design and initial results of a 1 kHz demonstration system.