Parameter study of acceleration of externally injected electrons in the linear laser wakefield regime

A parameter study for laser wakefield acceleration is presented, in which externally injected electrons are accelerated in low amplitude plasma waves, represented by an analytical two-dimensional description. Results have been obtained for plasma densities up to $2.6×1024m−3$⁠, plasma lengths up to $300mm$⁠, laser intensities up to $3.5×1021W∕m2$⁠, and injection of Gaussian model bunches at energies up to $12MeV$⁠. For the range of parameters studied, effects of laser depletion and the influence of the electron bunch on the plasma can be ignored. In the parameter space, a region is identified where final energies of over $100MeV$ are reached, at an energy spread of less than 5% and a rms emittance of a few micrometers.