Enhanced electron trapping by a static longitudinal magnetic field in laser wakefield acceleration

Abstract

An externally applied longitudinal magnetic field was found to enhance the particle trapping in the laser wakefield acceleration. When a static magnetic field of a few tens of tesla is applied in parallel with the propagation direction of a driving laser pulse, it is shown from two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations that total charge of the trapped beam and its maximum energy increase. The analysis of electron trajectories strongly suggests that the enhanced trapping originates from the suppression of the transverse motion by the magnetic field. The enhanced trapping by the magnetic field was observed consistently for various values of the plasma density, the amplitude of the laser pulse and pulse spot size. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.