Laser-based acceleration of non-relativistic electrons at a dielectric structure

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates dielectric laser acceleration of non-relativistic electrons using a fused-silica grating, achieving significant acceleration gradients and paving the way for compact, all-optical particle accelerators.

Contribution

It presents the first proof-of-principle experiment of laser-driven acceleration of non-relativistic electrons near a dielectric structure, with detailed parameter analysis and simulation validation.

Findings

Maximum acceleration gradient of 25 MeV/m achieved.

Excellent agreement between experiment and numerical simulations.

Demonstration of the inverse Smith-Purcell effect in the optical regime.

Abstract

A proof-of-principle experiment demonstrating dielectric laser acceleration of non-relativistic electrons in the vicinity of a fused-silica grating is reported. The grating structure is utilized to generate an electromagnetic surface wave that travels synchronously with and efficiently imparts momentum on 28keV electrons. We observe a maximum acceleration gradient of 25MeV/m. We investigate in detail the parameter dependencies and find excellent agreement with numerical simulations. With the availability of compact and efficient fiber laser technology, these findings may pave the way towards an all-optical compact particle accelerator. This work also represents the demonstration of the inverse Smith-Purcell effect in the optical regime.