Ionization induced trapping in a laser wakefield accelerator.

Experimental studies of electrons produced in a laser wakefield accelerator indicate trapping initiated by ionization of target gas atoms. Targets composed of helium and controlled amounts of various gases were found to increase the beam charge by as much as an order of magnitude compared to pure helium at the same electron density and decrease the beam divergence from 5.1+/-1.0 to 2.9+/-0.8 mrad. The measurements are supported by particle-in-cell modeling including ionization. This mechanism should allow generation of electron beams with lower emittance and higher charge than in preionized gas.