Free-electron laser and laser electron acceleration based on the megagauss magnetic fields in laser-produced plasmas.

Abstract

It is suggested that the megagauss magnetic fields generated in laser-produced plasmas be applied for (a) the construction of a wiggler for an x-ray free-electron laser and (b) charged-particle acceleration to high energies using the inverse free-electron laser and the autoresonance laser acceleration schemes. Coherent amplification of 10-\AA{} radiation with a 150-MeV electron beam seems feasible and gigaelectronvolt electron beams may induce a $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray laser. An acceleration gradient of about [100 MV/cm] ${[\frac{z}{(10cm)}]}^{\frac{\ensuremath{-}1}{3}}$ can be achieved at a distance $z$ along a 1-MG axial magnetic field in the autoresonance laser acceleration scheme, using a Nd:glass laser of ${10}^{18}$ W/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$.