Gas density structure of supersonic flows impinged on by thin blades for laser-plasma accelerators

Density transition injection is an effective technique for controllably loading electrons into a trapped phase for laser-plasma accelerators. One common technique to achieve this fluid phenomenon is to impinge a thin blade on the plume of a supersonic nozzle. 2-D simulations show that the density transition accessible to a transverse laser is produced by a rapid re-expansion of the high pressure region behind the initial bow shock, and not by the bow shock produced by the blade, as is commonly thought. This pressure mismatched re-expansion generates compression waves that could coalesce into shock-fronts as they interact with the surrounding ambient gas. This has consequences when interpreting the electron injection mechanism. In the simulations presented here, the fluid dynamics of a supersonic nozzle impinged on by a thin, flat object is explored, along with the implications for electron beam injectors in laser-plasma accelerators.