This article is cited in 135 papers

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS

Relativistic mirrors in plasmas. Novel results and perspectives

S. V. Bulanov^ab, T. Zh. Esirkepov^a, M. Kando^a, A. S. Pirozhkov^a, N. N. Rosanov<sup>cde

a</sup> Kansai Photon Science Institute, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kyoto
^b Prokhorov Institute of General Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences
^c Vavilov State Optical Institute
^d Saint-Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics, and Optics
^e Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences

Abstract: Relativistic flying mirrors in plasmas are thin, dense electron or electron–ion layers accelerated by high-intensity electromagnetic waves to velocities close to the speed of light in the vacuum; in nonlinear media, refractive index modulations are induced by a strong electromagnetic wave. The reflection of the electromagnetic wave from the relativistic mirror results in its energy and frequency changing. In the counter-propagation configuration, the frequency of the reflected wave is multiplied by the factor proportional to the gamma-factor squared. This scientific area promises the development of sources of ultrashort X-ray pulses in the attosecond range. The expected intensity will reach the level at which the effects predicted by nonlinear quantum electrodynamics start to play a key role. In the co-propagating configuration, the energy of the electromagnetic wave is transferred to the ion energy, providing a highly efficient acceleration mechanism.

Keywords: Relativistic plasmas, interaction of high power laser radiation with matter, acceleration of charged particles, coherent x-ray sources.

PACS: 52.35.Mw, 52.38.Ph, 52.59.Ye

Received: July 17, 2012
Accepted: July 27, 2012

DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0183.201305a.0449

 English version: Physics–Uspekhi, 2013, 56:5, 429–464

Bibliographic databases:

• 
• 
• 
•