Electron acceleration influenced by sinh-Gaussian laser pulses in a prepared ion channel

Abstract

The acceleration of electron in a produced ion channel is studied theoretically using a sinh-Gaussian (shG) laser pulse with radial polarization. Compared to Gaussian laser pulses, shG laser pulses propagate differently, presenting as a bright ring encircling a dark hollow core that inhibits early focusing and promotes self-defocusing. They can therefore be used to accelerate electrons to extremely high energies. The electron energy gain is influenced by the laser pulse decentred parameter linked to the shG function, however, the ion stream’s electric field prevents the transverse oscillations from pushing electrons out of the interaction zone. With a decentred parameter of ∼2.15 and a laser pulse intensity value of ∼1020 Wcm −2 incident on density of ∼ 1022 m −3, where the incident pulse phase is ψ 0 = 0, the combined effect of ion channelling and radially polarized (RP) shG laser pulses leads to a significant enhancement of electron energy gain within the ion density channel to the GeV level.