Energy enhancement of accelerated electrons using a sharply chirped profile laser pulse in vacuum

Abstract

It is proposed that the energy of electrons can be enhanced using a sharply chirped intense laser pulse in vacuum laser acceleration instead of using a linear frequency chirp as proposed in previous studies. There exists an optimum value of frequency chirp parameter, which changes with laser intensity, laser spot size, pulse duration and duration of interaction. These parameters have an important effect on the energy gained by electrons which can then be accelerated to MeV/GeV energies for suitable parameters.