Laser pulse-shape dependence of Compton scattering

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the shape of ultra-short laser pulses influences Compton scattering off electrons, revealing significant enhancements in scattering cross sections for certain pulse profiles, with implications for experiments and simulations.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the temporal shape of laser pulses critically affects Compton scattering cross sections, especially for ultra-short flat-top pulses, highlighting the importance of pulse shape in theoretical and experimental analyses.

Findings

Short and ultra-short flat-top pulses significantly increase scattering cross sections.

Pulse shape dependence can lead to several orders of magnitude enhancement.

Effects are relevant for experimental studies and Monte Carlo simulations of pair production.

Abstract

Compton scattering of short and ultra short (sub-cycle) laser pulses off mildly relativistic electrons is considered within a QED framework. The temporal shape of the pulse is essential for the differential cross section as a function of the energy of the scattered photon at fixed observation angle. The partly integrated cross section is sensitive to the non-linear dynamics resulting in a large enhancement of the cross section for short and, in particular, for ultra-short flat-top pulse envelopes which can reach several orders of magnitude, as compared with the case of a long pulse. Such effects can be studied experimentally and must be taken into account in Monte-Carlo/transport simulations of %$e^+e^-$ pair production in the interaction of electrons and photons in a strong laser field.