Abstract
The generation of large-amplitude, relativistic plasma waves is a subject of much current interest because of its potential use for ultrahigh gradient electron acceleration [2-5]. While conventional rf-driven accelerators are limited to fields ≤ 1 MV/cm, plasma accelerators have been shown experimentally to support gradients ~ 10 MV/cm [5]. The maximum axial electric field of a relativistic plasma wave, as predicted by 1D cold fluid theory, is the “wave-breaking” field [6], , which can exceed 1 GV/cm, where ωp=(4πe2ne0/me)1/2is the electron plasma frequency, ne0is the ambient electron density, , and vpis the phase velocity.
© 1994 Optical Society of America
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