Presented By: Michigan Institute for Plasma Science and Engineering (MIPSE)
MIPSE Seminar | Laser-Plasma Accelerator Research at the BELLA Center
Dr. Eric Esarey, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Abstract:
This talk summarizes the current activities of the Berkeley Lab Laser Accelerator (BELLA) Center on laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) research and applications. The BELLA PW laser is described, including the second beamline (2BL) and the interaction point two (IP2) beamline and target chamber. 2BL provides a second beamline to the interaction point one chamber, along with the first beamline, where experiments are done on LPAs. The primary objectives are experiments on laser-generated plasma channels to yield electron energies near 10 GeV and the high efficiency staging of LPA modules at the multi-GeV level. IP2 provides a new short focal length capability to provide ultrahigh laser intensity for experiments on ion acceleration and high energy density science. The BELLA Center also houses two independent 100 TW lasers that are used for a wide variety of studies, including x-ray generation by Thomson scattering and LPA-driven free electron laser (FEL) research. Recent experiments have demonstrated the stable operation of an LPA-FEL in the XUV regime. Also discussed will be the development of fiber lasers that use coherent combining in both space and time to enable high average power at kHz repetition rates and beyond. Work supported by Dept. of Energy Office of Science, High Energy Physics and Fusion Energy Sciences, and LaserNetUS.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Eric Esarey is the Senior Science Advisor to the Berkeley Lab Laser Accelerator (BELLA) Center at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). He received the Ph.D. in plasma physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1986 and the B.S. in nuclear engineering from the University of Michigan (UM) in 1981. He worked at the Naval Research Laboratory from 1986 -98 and joined LBNL in 1998. He was a cofounder of the BELLA Center and served as director from 2019-25. Dr. Esarey has published over 275 journal articles on intense laser interactions with electron beams and plasmas, advanced acceleration concepts and novel radiation sources. He is a recipient of the APS 2010 John Dawson Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research, 2018 Advanced Accelerator Concept Prize, 2023 Alumni Merit Award from the UM College of Engineering, 2019 and 2025 Directors Awards for Exceptional Achievement from LBNL, 2025 US Particle Accelerator School Prize for Achievement in Accelerator Science and Technology, and 2025 UM Prize for Excellence in Plasma Science and Engineering. Dr. Esarey was elected a Fellow of the APS in 1996. Recent research highlights include production of high-quality electron bunches at 10 GeV from a laser-plasma accelerator using plasma channel driven by the BELLA PW laser and demonstration of a stable operation of a FEL in the XUV driven by a laser-plasma accelerator.
This talk summarizes the current activities of the Berkeley Lab Laser Accelerator (BELLA) Center on laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) research and applications. The BELLA PW laser is described, including the second beamline (2BL) and the interaction point two (IP2) beamline and target chamber. 2BL provides a second beamline to the interaction point one chamber, along with the first beamline, where experiments are done on LPAs. The primary objectives are experiments on laser-generated plasma channels to yield electron energies near 10 GeV and the high efficiency staging of LPA modules at the multi-GeV level. IP2 provides a new short focal length capability to provide ultrahigh laser intensity for experiments on ion acceleration and high energy density science. The BELLA Center also houses two independent 100 TW lasers that are used for a wide variety of studies, including x-ray generation by Thomson scattering and LPA-driven free electron laser (FEL) research. Recent experiments have demonstrated the stable operation of an LPA-FEL in the XUV regime. Also discussed will be the development of fiber lasers that use coherent combining in both space and time to enable high average power at kHz repetition rates and beyond. Work supported by Dept. of Energy Office of Science, High Energy Physics and Fusion Energy Sciences, and LaserNetUS.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Eric Esarey is the Senior Science Advisor to the Berkeley Lab Laser Accelerator (BELLA) Center at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). He received the Ph.D. in plasma physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1986 and the B.S. in nuclear engineering from the University of Michigan (UM) in 1981. He worked at the Naval Research Laboratory from 1986 -98 and joined LBNL in 1998. He was a cofounder of the BELLA Center and served as director from 2019-25. Dr. Esarey has published over 275 journal articles on intense laser interactions with electron beams and plasmas, advanced acceleration concepts and novel radiation sources. He is a recipient of the APS 2010 John Dawson Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research, 2018 Advanced Accelerator Concept Prize, 2023 Alumni Merit Award from the UM College of Engineering, 2019 and 2025 Directors Awards for Exceptional Achievement from LBNL, 2025 US Particle Accelerator School Prize for Achievement in Accelerator Science and Technology, and 2025 UM Prize for Excellence in Plasma Science and Engineering. Dr. Esarey was elected a Fellow of the APS in 1996. Recent research highlights include production of high-quality electron bunches at 10 GeV from a laser-plasma accelerator using plasma channel driven by the BELLA PW laser and demonstration of a stable operation of a FEL in the XUV driven by a laser-plasma accelerator.
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