Analytic model of stable shock-like structures in laser interaction with underdense plasma for identifying of phase and polarization dependent regime of laser wakefield accelerators

TL;DR

This paper introduces an analytical model for stable shock-like structures in laser-underdense plasma interactions, aiding the identification of regimes where phase and polarization effects influence laser wakefield acceleration.

Contribution

It provides a novel analytical framework to predict shock structures and identify regimes where CEP effects are significant in laser wakefield accelerators.

Findings

Existence of stable shock-like structures over a wide parameter range

Development of numerical methods for shock-front description

Identification of regimes with significant CEP effects

Abstract

We present an analytical model describing a stable shock-like structure that is formed when an ultra-intense laser propagates through an underdense plasma. It is shown that such structures exist in a wide range of laser-plasma parameters, with a unique sub-luminal shock front velocity for each parameter. Numerical methods to accurately describe such shock-front is developed. The formalism is applied to describe the parameter space in which the Carrier-Envelope-Phase (CEP) effect under which phase and polarization dependent super-ponderomotive effects becomes significant. The developed formalism will enable quick identification of regimes in which CEP effects become significant, expediting designing of Laser Wakefield Accelerators operating in the superponderomotive regime.