Generation of Quantum Vortex Electrons with Intense Laser Pulses

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to generate relativistic electrons with quantum vortex wavefunctions using intense femtosecond laser pulses, enabling new experimental possibilities in particle physics.

Contribution

It introduces a nonlinear QED-based technique to transfer laser photon angular momentum to electrons, creating quantum vortex states at GeV energies.

Findings

Electrons acquire intrinsic orbital angular momentum beyond 100 h-bar at high laser intensities.

Scattered electrons exhibit twisted wavefunctions with vortex characteristics.

Electrons emit gamma photons with a distinctive double-peaked spectrum.

Abstract

Accelerating a free electron to high energy forms the basis for studying particle and nuclear physics. Here it is shown that wavefunction of such an energetic electron can be further manipulated with femtosecond intense lasers. During the scattering between a high-energy electron and a strong laser pulse, we find a regime where the enormous photon spin angular momenta can be efficiently transferred to the electron orbital angular momentum (OAM). The wavefunction of the scattered electron is twisted from its initial plane-wave state to quantum vortex state. Nonlinear quantum electrodynamics (QED) theory suggests that GeV-level electrons acquire average intrinsic OAM beyond 100 h-barat laser intensities of 10^20W/cm^2 with linear scaling. These electrons emit gamma photons with double-peaked spectrum, which sets them apart from ordinary electrons. The findings demonstrate a proficient method for generating relativistic leptons with quantum vortex wavefunctions based on existing laser technology, thereby fostering a novel source for particle and nuclear physics.