An Electron Accelerator Using a Laser

An intense electromagnetic pulse (photon pulse) of proper length can create a wake of plasma oscillations (plasmon wake) through the action of the nonlinear ponderomotive force. The phase velocity of the wake is equal to the group velocity of the light pulse which can be only slightly less than the velocity of light in a vacuum. The electric fields in the wakes can be quite intense (up to order eE = mc/¿p). Electrons trapped in the wake can be accelerated to high energy. Existing glass lasers of power density 1018W/cm2 shined on plasmas of densities 1018cm-3 can yield GeV energy electrons per cm. The mechanism for this acceleration is examined and its details are demonstrated through computer simulation. Applications to accelerators and pulsars are examined.