Transverse Wakefield Control via Phase-Matched Laser Modes in Plasma Channels

Abstract

The superposition of higher-order laser modes can be used to control the laser-driven transverse wakefields in a laser-plasma accelerator operating in the quasi-linear regime. To avoid slippage and beating, modes must have equal group velocities. This can be accomplished by geometric tuning, selecting the appropriate mode indices, or frequency tuning, selecting mode frequencies to compensate for the slower propagation of higher-order modes. This study is relevant for laser-plasma acceleration experiments demanding greater control over the transverse focusing forces and electron bunch properties.