First Observations of Laser-Driven Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in a Semi-Infinite Vacuum Space

Conference · Fri Feb 17 00:00:00 EST 2006

OSTI ID:876442

Plettner, T; Byer, R L; Smith, T I; Colby, E; Cowan, B; Sears, C M.S.; Spencer, J E; Siemann, R H

We have observed acceleration of relativistic electrons in vacuum driven by a linearly polarized visible laser beam incident on a thin gold-coated reflective boundary. The observed energy modulation effect follows all the characteristics expected for linear acceleration caused by a longitudinal electric field. As predicted by the Lawson-Woodward theorem the laser driven modulation only appears in the presence of the boundary. It shows a linear dependence with the strength of the electric field of the laser beam and also it is critically dependent on the laser polarization. Finally, it appears to follow the expected angular dependence of the inverse transition radiation process. experiment as the Laser Electron Accelerator Project (LEAP).

• Research Organization: SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76SF00515
• OSTI ID: 876442
• Report Number(s): SLAC-PUB-11647; TRN: US200606%%659
• Resource Relation: Conference: Contributed to2005 Particle Accelerator Conference, , 5/16/2005-5/20/2005
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
ACCELERATION
ACCELERATORS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRONS
LASERS
MODULATION
POLARIZATION
TRANSITION RADIATION
Accelerators
ACCPHY