Ion-ripple wiggler for short wavelength lasers

Abstract

We propose a new scheme for creating a dynamic wiggler of ion density grating. This can be incorporated into an ion-ripple laser to generate pulses of tunable coherent radiation of very short wavelengths. Two optical waves interfere in a plasma, and produce a density grating of wavelength ∼1–10 μm. An electron beam, obliquely injected into the plasma, expels the plasma electrons along its path, and generates radiation by interacting with the ion-ripple wiggler left behind.