Laser Wakefield Acceleration

Laser Wakefield Acceleration (LWFA) is a plasma based particle acceleration technique. In LWFA a short (fs) high intensity (»10¹⁴W/cm²) laser pulse is used to generate an electrostatic plasma wave that moves with the laser pulse with a phase velocity close to the speed of light. When charged particles are injected into the right phase of the wake they will experience acceleration as they move with the wave.