Controlling the spectral shape of nonlinear Thomson scattering with proper laser chirping

TL;DR

This paper presents analytic methods for shaping laser pulses in amplitude and frequency to control spectral broadening in nonlinear Thomson scattering, enabling narrow bandwidth high-intensity x- and gamma-ray sources.

Contribution

It introduces analytic solutions for laser pulse shaping that predict and control spectral broadening in nonlinear Thomson scattering at high intensities.

Findings

Analytic expressions for laser pulse shaping are derived.

Predictions are validated by numerical calculations.

Controlled spectral bandwidth enables high-yield narrowband gamma-ray sources.

Abstract

Effects of nonlinearity in Thomson scattering of a high intensity laser pulse from electrons are analyzed. Analytic expressions for laser pulse shaping in amplitude and frequency are obtained which control spectrum broadening for arbitrarily high laser pulse intensities. These analytic solutions allow prediction of the spectral form and required laser parameters to avoid broadening. The predictions are validated by numerical calculations. This control over the scattered radiation bandwidth allows of narrow bandwidth sources to be produced using high scattering intensities, which in turn greatly improves scattering yield for future x- and gamma-ray sources.