Gain of electron orbital angular momentum in a direct laser acceleration process
Journal article, 2020

Three-dimensional "particle in cell" simulations show that a quasistatic magnetic field can be generated in a plasma irradiated by a linearly polarized Laguerre-Gauss beam with a nonzero orbital angular momentum (OAM). Perturbative analysis of the electron dynamics in the low intensity limit and detailed numerical analysis predict a laser to electrons OAM transfer. Plasma electrons gain angular velocity thanks to the dephasing process induced by the combined action of the ponderomotive force and the laser induced-radial oscillation Similar to the "direct laser acceleration," where Gaussian laser beams transmit part of its axial momentum to electrons, Laguerre-Gaussian beams transfer a part of their orbital angular momentum to electrons through the dephasing process.

Author

R. Nuter

University of Bordeaux

Ph Korneev

National Research Nuclear University

Russian Academy of Sciences

E. Dmitriev

National Research Nuclear University

Illia Thiele

Chalmers, Physics, Subatomic and Plasma Physics

V. T. Tikhonchuk

University of Bordeaux

Czech Academy of Sciences

Physical Review E

24700045 (ISSN) 24700053 (eISSN)

Vol. 101 5 053202

Subject Categories

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Other Physics Topics

Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics

DOI

10.1103/PhysRevE.101.053202

More information

Latest update

7/19/2023