Energetic electron bunch generation by laser interaction with xenon clusters

Abstract

We study the interaction of intense, sub-cycle, and few-cycle laser pulses with xenon clusters for the generation of mono-energetic electron bunches. For this purpose, we used three dimensional, relativistic, molecular dynamics simulations. In this work, we used two mutually perpendicularly polarized (MPP) pulses separated by a finite temporal phase delay. The first pulse is responsible for the generation of electrons by field ionization of atomic clusters. However, the second pulse tends to accelerate the electrons (created by the first pulse) as a bunch. The effect of phase delay, pulse duration, and peak laser intensity on the generation of energetic electron bunches is studied. Under optimum conditions, the electrons are found to be accelerated to energies as high as 2.5 MeV. The feasibility of further acceleration of these electron bunches utilizing laser wakefield acceleration is also explored in this work by treating the accelerated electron bunch by MPP pulses as an initial condition to the nonlinear one-dimensional laser wakefield equations. The rough estimate of the final accelerated electron energies after laser wakefield acceleration has also been made.

Higher harmonics and attosecond pulse generation by laser induced Thomson scattering in atomic clusters

“…However, in this work we are dealing with the electrons originated from a cluster of say 500 atoms or so, and as a result this bunch of electrons collectively wiggles in the laser field. The spacecharge effect of the cluster electrons is negligible as compared to the strong laser field, which results in lower emittance and lower divergence of the electron bunch [37]. In the following section we discuss our main results on cluster dynamics, angular distribution of the emitted radiation and their respective spectral distribution.…”

“…The details of the molecular dynamic simulations are discussed in Refs. [27,37] and hence, are not repeated here.…”

“…Following the ionization, all particles (ions þ electrons) are advanced under the influence of Lorentz and Coulomb forces by solving the relativistic equations of motion [27,37]. The standard Boris leapfrog algorithm is used wherein the motion of particles in electric and magnetic fields is decomposed and v × B rotation is achieved correctly [38].…”