Electron acceleration by laser plasma wedge interaction

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel electron acceleration mechanism using laser interaction with plasma wedges, producing highly collimated, relativistic electron bunches confirmed by simulations and analytical models.

Contribution

It identifies a new laser-plasma interaction process that efficiently accelerates electrons to relativistic energies over long distances.

Findings

Electron bunches up to hundreds of MeV achieved.

The mechanism is robust and efficient across different conditions.

Simulations and models support the proposed scheme.

Abstract

A new electron acceleration mechanism is identified that develops when a relativistically intense laser irradiates the wedge of an over-dense plasma. This induces a diffracted electromagnetic wave with a significant longitudinal electric field that accelerates electrons from the plasma over long distances to relativistic energies. Well collimated, highly-charged (nC) electron bunches with energies up to 100's MeV are obtained using a laser beam with $I \lambda_0^2 =3.5\times 10^{19}\,{\rm W \mu m^2/cm^2}$. Multi-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, supported by a simple analytical model, confirm the efficiency and robustness of the proposed acceleration scheme.