Laser-Driven Plasma Acceleration and Extreme Ultraviolet Light Sources
This research community develops high-intensity laser systems to accelerate charged particles and generate coherent extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and X-ray light. The work focuses on creating compact, high-brightness sources for particle acceleration, radiation generation, and advanced lithography applications.
The recurring technical focus is on laser-plasma interactions, specifically using femtosecond laser pulses to drive plasma wakefields for electron and ion acceleration. Key applications include the generation of extreme ultraviolet light for semiconductor lithography, often utilizing tin plasma sources, and the production of high-energy proton and neutron beams. The community also investigates the physics of relativistic laser-matter interactions, including the creation of gamma rays and the study of strong-field quantum electrodynamics. Specific materials and methods include lithium fluoride crystals for frequency conversion, xenon and tin targets for light generation, and capillary discharge waveguides for beam transport.
The community is most prominent in research involving tin, where it accounts for 0.3% of all tin-related papers, and xenon, representing 0.8% of xenon research. It also contributes significantly to yttrium (0.4% share) and neodymium (0.7% share) studies, likely related to laser gain media and target materials.
The community comprises 10,873 papers, published primarily in Laser and Particle Beams, Physics of Plasmas, and Applied Physics Letters.
Recent work continues to refine laser wakefield acceleration techniques, including dephasingless acceleration using flying focus methods and the simultaneous enhancement of electron beam energy and brightness. New studies also detail the dynamics of tin-hydrogen plasmas in EUV lithography reactors and the generation of attosecond-long electron beams.