Nonlinear Thomson scattering from relativistic laser plasma interaction

Kim Ta Phuoc (1) , Frédéric Burgy (1) , Jean-Philippe Rousseau (1) , Antoine Rousse (1)

1 LOA - Laboratoire d'optique appliquée

As an electron oscillates in an intense laser field, it acquires a highly nonlinear motion and emits X-ray radiation by nonlinear Thomson scattering. In this paper we present a numerical and experimental analysis of this radiation. We show that this radiative process becomes dominant at relativistic laser intensities (a0>1), for which the laser light scatters off MeV electrons accelerated in the plasma.

Domaines: Optique [physics.optics]; Physique des plasmas [physics.plasm-ph]

Kim Ta Phuoc, Frédéric Burgy, Jean-Philippe Rousseau, Antoine Rousse. Nonlinear Thomson scattering from relativistic laser plasma interaction. The European Physical Journal D : Atomic, molecular, optical and plasma physics, 2005, 33 (2), pp.301-306. ⟨10.1140/epjd/e2005-00042-8⟩. ⟨hal-00574154⟩