Electron spin polarization in realistic trajectories around the magnetic node of two counter-propagating, circularly polarized, ultra-intense lasers

TY - JOUR

T1 - Electron spin polarization in realistic trajectories around the magnetic node of two counter-propagating, circularly polarized, ultra-intense lasers

AU - Del Sorbo, D.

AU - Seipt, D.

AU - Thomas, A. G.R.

AU - Ridgers, C. P.

N1 - © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd

PY - 2018/4/13

Y1 - 2018/4/13

N2 - It has recently been suggested that two counter-propagating, circularly polarized, ultra-intense lasers can induce a strong electron spin polarization at the magnetic node of the electromagnetic field that they setup (Del Sorbo et al 2017 Phys. Rev. A 96 043407). We confirm these results by considering a more sophisticated description that integrates over realistic trajectories. The electron dynamics is weakly affected by the variation of power radiated due to the spin polarization. The degree of spin polarization differs by approximately 5% if considering electrons initially at rest or already in a circular orbit. The instability of trajectories at the magnetic node induces a spin precession associated with the electron migration that establishes an upper temporal limit to the polarization of the electron population of about one laser period.

AB - It has recently been suggested that two counter-propagating, circularly polarized, ultra-intense lasers can induce a strong electron spin polarization at the magnetic node of the electromagnetic field that they setup (Del Sorbo et al 2017 Phys. Rev. A 96 043407). We confirm these results by considering a more sophisticated description that integrates over realistic trajectories. The electron dynamics is weakly affected by the variation of power radiated due to the spin polarization. The degree of spin polarization differs by approximately 5% if considering electrons initially at rest or already in a circular orbit. The instability of trajectories at the magnetic node induces a spin precession associated with the electron migration that establishes an upper temporal limit to the polarization of the electron population of about one laser period.

KW - particle radiation

KW - spin polarization

KW - strong field QED

KW - ultra-intense laser-matter interactions

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047554087&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/1361-6587/aab979

DO - 10.1088/1361-6587/aab979

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85047554087

SN - 0741-3335

VL - 60

SP - 1

EP - 9

JO - Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion

JF - Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion

IS - 6

M1 - 064003

ER -