Two stage $\gamma$ ray emission via an ultrahigh intensity laser pulse interaction with a laser-wakefield accelerated electron beam

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a novel two-stage gamma-ray emission process involving ultrahigh intensity laser interactions with wakefield-accelerated electrons, producing tunable gamma-ray beams through particle-in-cell simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a new method for generating tunable twin gamma-ray beams via laser wakefield acceleration and laser reflection, with detailed analysis of parameter dependencies.

Findings

Two groups of gamma-ray flashes are generated with tunable delay and energy.

Gamma-ray emission depends on preplasma density, laser polarization, and foil properties.

The process enables controlled gamma-ray production using ultrahigh intensity lasers.

Abstract

We investigate the generation of twin $\gamma$ ray beams in collision of an ultrahigh intensity laser pulse with a laser wakefield accelerated electron beam by using particle-in-cell simulation. We consider the composed target of a homogeneous underdense preplasma in front of an ultrathin solid foil. The electrons in the preplasma are trapped and accelerated by the wakefield. When the laser pulse is reflected by the thin solid foil, the wakefield accelerated electrons continue to move forward and passing through the foil almost without the influence of the reflected laser pulse and the foil. Consequently, two groups of $\gamma$ ray flashes, with tunable time delay and energy, are generated by the wakefield accelerated electron beam interacting with the reflected laser pulse from the foil as well as another counter propagating petawatt laser pulse in the behind the foil. The dependence of the $\gamma$ photon emission on the preplasma densities, driving laser polarization and the foil are studied.