OPTICS AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS

Laser acceleration of electrons: “laser buller” or “bubble”?

V. Yu. Bychenkov^ab, A. J. Castillo^cb, S. G. Bochkarev^ab, M. G. Lobok<sup>ab

a</sup> Center of Fundamental and Applied Research, Dukhov Automatics Research Institute, Moscow, 127030 Russia
^b Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991 Russia
^c Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, 117198 Russia

Abstract: The most effective mechanism for laser acceleration of electrons is the relativistic self-trapping of an intense light pulse, which makes it possible to achieve the extreme charge of high-energy particle bunches and the extreme conversion coefficient, which can be implemented in the characteristic regimes called “laser bullet” and “bubble”. To quantitively compare the efficiencies of these regimes, three-dimensional numerical simulation is required. Such a simulation has been carried out for relativistically intense joule ultrashort pulses. The obtained results indicate a higher yield of high-energy (15–30 MeV) electrons of interest for radiation-nuclear applications accelerated in the laser bullet regime.

Received: 27.01.2025
Revised: 22.02.2025
Accepted: 22.02.2025

DOI: 10.31857/S0370274X25040033

 English version: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters, 2025, 121:7, 512–519