Excitation of multiple wakefields by short laser pulses in dense plasmas

TL;DR

This paper theoretically explores how short laser pulses in dense plasmas can excite multiple wakefields, including quantum effects, leading to potential high-energy electron acceleration over nanoscales.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of multiple wakefield excitation in dense plasmas considering quantum effects, expanding beyond classical plasma oscillation models.

Findings

Quantum effects qualitatively alter wakefield behavior.

Multiple wakefields with different wavelengths are excited.

Electrons can be trapped and accelerated to high energies.

Abstract

We present a theoretical investigation of the excitation of multiple electrostatic wakefields by the ponderomotive force of a short electromagnetic pulse propagating through a dense plasma. It is found that the inclusion of the quantum statistical pressure and quantum electron tunneling effects can qualitatively change the classical behavior of the wakefield. In addition to the well known plasma oscillation wakefield, with a wavelength of the order of the electron skin depth, which in a dense plasma is of the order of several nanometers, wakefields in dense plasmas with a shorter wavelength are also excited. The wakefields can trap electrons and accelerate them to extremely high energies over nanoscales.