Gamma-ray generation from laser-driven electron resonant acceleration: In the non-QED and the QED regimes

Abstract

Electron acceleration and γ-ray emission by circularly polarized laser pulses interacting with near-critical-density plasmas are systematically investigated for both the non-quantum-electrodynamic (non-QED) and QED regimes. In the non-QED regime, since electron density in the plasma channel is small and the self-generated electromagnetic fields are weak, only a few electrons can achieve the resonant acceleration, leading to weak γ-ray emission. However, when it comes to the QED regime, the radiation recoil force significantly affects the electron dynamics, which helps in not only the trapping of electrons, but also the relaxing of the condition for electrons to hit the resonance with laser fields, resulting in the formation of an ultradense helical electron bunch under resonant acceleration in the plasma channel. Therefore, an intense γ-ray pulse with unprecedented flux can be generated. Theoretical analysis and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are carried out to compare the dynamics in two different regimes.