Visualization of plasma bubble accelerators using Frequency-Domain Shadowgraphy

Abstract

We report on generation of relativistic electron beams in the wake of a relativistically intense laser pulse traversing a 1.7 mm long atmospheric density helium gas jet. The plasma wake structure is recovered using a Frequency-Domain Holography (FDH) and Frequency-Domain Shadowgraphy (FDS). As the gas density changes, the accelerated electron beams show variations in cross-section area, divergence, total charge, and peak energy. FDH phase reconstruction shows discontinuities and large phase jumps due to plasma electrons blown out by the pump pulse, probe pulse refraction, and nonlinear propagation in plasma. However, FDS amplitude reconstruction shows bright spots that yield information about bubble formation and evolution.