Investigation of Laser Plasma Interactions

• Author / Creator

  Ludwig, Joshua

• Both short and long pulse laser plasma interactions are investigated by theoreti- cal analysis and modern computational techniques. An extensive set of simulations of short pulse laser plasma based particle accelerators are performed with the aim of improving performance and diagnostics of the accelerators. Simulations are also compared with experimental results for the production of Mid-Infrared light using relativistically intense short pulse optical lasers.
  A new type of long pulse laser based plasma probe is proposed for measuring plasma conditions with a single shot high bandwidth pump-probe configuration. Simulations and theory are presented for the study of shock formation in supersonic plasma flows relevant to the conditions of the inertial confinement fusion targets at the National Ignition Facility.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Physics
  • Laser
  • Plasma
  • Wakefield
  • Fusion
  • Raman
  • LWFA
  • Ray Tracing

• Graduation date

  Spring 2021

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-rxdt-bg53

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.