CERENKOV WAKES IN A MAGNETIZED PLASMA FOR HIGH POWER RADIATION GENERATION

University Of Southern California, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

The objectives of this research program are to explore the physics of a new radiation mechanism and to demonstrate its viability as a source of high power radiation. In particular, an intense laser pulse will be used to excite a laser wakefield propagating across a DC magnetic field. The resulting wakefield couples to electromagnetic radiation at the plasma/vacuum boundary. It is anticipated that teraHertz radiation at the level of one megaWatt will be generated and detected in pulses lasting a few hundred picoseconds.