MeV femtosecond electron pulses from direct-field acceleration in low density atomic gases. (16th December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Varin, Charles; Marceau, Vincent; Hogan-Lamarre, Pascal; Fennel, Thomas; Piché, Michel; Brabec, Thomas
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 49:Number 2(2016:Jan. 15)
• Publication Date: 2015-12-16
• Subjects: laser-driven electron acceleration -- radially polarized laser beams -- ultrashort electron pulse; 41.75.Jv -- 52.38.-r -- 61.05.J; Atoms -- Periodicals; Molecules -- Periodicals; Optics -- Periodicals; Nuclear physics -- Periodicals; 539.6
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-4075/49/2/024001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-4075

Abstract

Abstract: Using three-dimensional particle-in-cell (3DPIC) simulations, we show that few-MeV electrons can be produced by tightly focusing few-cycle radially-polarized laser pulses in a low-density atomic gas. In particular, it is observed that for the few-TW laser power needed to reach relativistic electron energies, longitudinal attosecond microbunching occurs naturally, resulting in femtosecond structures with high-contrast attosecond density modulations. The 3DPIC simulations show that in the relativistic regime the leading pulse of these attosecond substructures survives to propagation over extended distances, suggesting that it could be delivered to a distant target, with the help of a properly designed transport beamline.