The slingshot effect: A possible new laser-driven high energy acceleration mechanism for electrons
- Dipartimento di Matematica e Applicazioni, Università di Napoli “Federico II,” 80126 Napoli (Italy)
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Napoli “Federico II,” 80126 Napoli (Italy)
- INFN, Sezione di Napoli, 80126 Napoli (Italy)
We show that under appropriate conditions the impact of a very short and intense laser pulse onto a plasma causes the expulsion of surface electrons with high energy in the direction opposite to the one of the propagations of the pulse. This is due to the combined effects of the ponderomotive force and the huge longitudinal field arising from charge separation (“slingshot effect”). The effect should also be present with other states of matter, provided the pulse is sufficiently intense to locally cause complete ionization. An experimental test seems to be feasible and, if confirmed, would provide a new extraction and acceleration mechanism for electrons, alternative to traditional radio-frequency-based or laser-wake-field ones.
- OSTI ID:
- 22403286
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 21, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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