Speaker
Description
To develop a stable laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA)-based accelerator and demonstrate free-electron laser (FEL) generation, a novel LWFA platform was established at the RIKEN SPring-8 Center. Systematic experiments were conducted with support from the ImPACT (2013–2018) and JST MIRAI (2017–present) programs. However, further improvements in electron beam reproducibility, pointing stability, and energy stability are required to meet the demanding requirements of FEL applications. To address these challenges, a shock injection scheme was developed to enable precise injection control and stable plasma formation. This approach led to a substantial improvement in both the stability and reproducibility of the accelerated electron beam. Recent proof-of-concept experiments have demonstrated clear amplification of undulator radiation, indicating the feasibility of LWFA-driven FELs in the XUV regime. This presentation will provide an overview of the LWFA platform, describe the setup of the proof-of-concept experiments with an emphasis on key technological advancements, and discuss the results obtained.
