On The Origin of Super-Hot Electrons in Intense Laser-Plasma Interactions

This thesis investigates the ultraintense laser-plasma interaction. An experiment to measure the generation of relativistic electrons and positrons was performed at the Texas Petawatt laser which resulted in the observation of the highest known positron energies ever recorded. The positrons are created by the Bethe-Heitler process where an electron scatters and emits bremsstrahlung radiation which then interacts with an atomic nucleus and creates an electron-positron pair. The positron bunch is a useful diagnostic for understanding the laser-plasma interaction. Modeling results are also presented that describe the acceleration mechanism for the highest energy electrons which drive many important applications. A simple mechanism we call loop-injected direct acceleration that is found to be overwhelmingly dominant in the acceleration of super-hot electrons is discussed in detail.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Grantor dc:publisher

The Ohio State University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Krygier, Andrew

Contributors dc:contributor

• Freeman, Richard

• Physics
• high energy density physics
• plasma physics
• laser plasma interactions

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1365724528

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:osu1365724528