Signatures of quantum effects on radiation reaction in laser-electron-beam collisions
Journal article, 2017
Two signatures of quantum effects on radiation reaction in the collision of a similar to GeV electron beam with a high intensity (>3 x 10(20) W cm(-2)) laser pulse have been considered. We show that the decrease in the average energy of the electron beam may be used to measure the Gaunt factor g for synchrotron emission. We derive an equation for the evolution of the variance in the energy of the electron beam in the quantum regime, i.e. quantum efficiency parameter eta (sic) 1. We show that the evolution of the variance may be used as a direct measure of the quantum stochasticity of the radiation reaction and determine the parameter regime where this is observable. For example, stochastic emission results in a 25 % increase in the standard deviation of the energy spectrum of a GeV electron beam, 1 fs after it collides with a laser pulse of intensity 10(21) W cm(-2). This effect should therefore be measurable using current high-intensity laser systems.
plasma dynamics
plasma simulation
intense particle beams
Author
C. P. Ridgers
University of York
Tom Blackburn
Chalmers, Physics, Theoretical Physics
D. Del Sorbo
University of York
L. E. Bradley
University of York
C. Slade-Lowther
University of York
C. D. Baird
University of York
S. P. D. Mangles
Imperial College London
P. McKenna
University of Strathclyde
Mattias Marklund
Chalmers, Physics, Condensed Matter Theory
C. D. Murphy
University of York
A. G. R. Thomas
Daresbury Laboratory
University of Michigan
Lancaster University
Journal of Plasma Physics
0022-3778 (ISSN) 1469-7807 (eISSN)
Vol. 83 5 715830502Subject Categories
Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
DOI
10.1017/s0022377817000642