2018 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Relativistic Flying Mirror Gamma Ray Source
| Project/Area Number |
16K05639
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| Research Institution | National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology |
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Principal Investigator |
Koga James 国立研究開発法人量子科学技術研究開発機構, 関西光科学研究所 光量子科学研究部, 上席研究員(定常) (70370393)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
Esirkepov Timur 国立研究開発法人量子科学技術研究開発機構, 関西光科学研究所 光量子科学研究部, 上席研究員(定常) (10370363)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
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| Keywords | plasma / mirror / relativistic |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The properties of mirrors moving at relativistic velocities were first examined by Einstein in 1905. Relativistic mirrors (breaking plasma waves) generated by high intensity laser pulse propagating in a plasma have been shown both theoretically, numerically, and experimentally to be able to upshift laser light propagating in the direction opposite to the mirrors to higher frequencies. Only weakly relativistic laser pulses were considered so as not to strongly perturb the mirrors. We have shown by high resolution one dimensional simulations that even nearly relativistic intensity laser pulses can be reflected off the relativistic mirrors, upshifted and produce relativistically upshifted harmonics. Relativistically upshifted harmonics with wavelengths below 20 nm were generated from an originally 3 micron laser pulse approximately 160 times shorter than the original laser wavelength. When the intensity of the laser pulse is too strong, the reflected spectra do not have clear harmonic peaks. Two dimensional simulations have shown that strong laser pulses can be reflected and focused by the breaking plasma waves generated by another laser pulse. In addition via collaborations it has been shown that a high energy electron beam can generate GeV photons when scattered off multiple colliding laser pulses.
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