Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 223, 1169-1173 (2014)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2014-02169-y

Regular Article

Plasma devices for focusing extreme light pulses

¹ LULI, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, CEA, UPMC, 91128 Palaiseau, France
² Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
³ University of Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
⁴ Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Gothenberg, Sweden
⁵ European XFEL GmbH, Albert-Einstein-Ring 19, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
⁶ University of St Andrews, High Energy Laser Materials Laboratory, Unit 4, NTC, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SR, UK
⁷ Laboratoire Interactions, Dynamiques et Lasers, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, DSM/IRAMIS, CEN Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
⁸ State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology & Center of Applied Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China

Received: 13 March 2014
Revised: 24 March 2014
Published online: 4 June 2014

Abstract

Since the inception of the laser, there has been a constant push toward increasing the laser peak intensity, as this has lead to opening the exploration of new territories, and the production of compact sources of particles and radiation with unprecedented characteristics. However, increasing the peak laser intensity is usually performed by enhancing the produced laser properties, either by lowering its duration or increasing its energy, which involves a great level of complexity for the laser chain, or comes at great cost. Focusing tightly is another possibility to increase the laser intensity, but this comes at the risk of damaging the optics with target debris, as it requires their placement in close proximity to the interaction region. Plasma devices are an attractive, compact alternative to tightly focus extreme light pulses and further increase the final laser intensity.