Signatures of quantum effects on radiation reaction in laser-electron-beam collisions

TY - JOUR

T1 - Signatures of quantum effects on radiation reaction in laser-electron-beam collisions

AU - Ridgers, C. P.

AU - Blackburn, T. G.

AU - Del Sorbo, D.

AU - Bradley, L. E.

AU - Slade-Lowther, C.

AU - Baird, C. D.

AU - Mangles, S. P.D.

AU - McKenna, P.

AU - Marklund, M.

AU - Murphy, C. D.

AU - Thomas, A. G.R.

N1 - © Cambridge University Press 2017.

PY - 2017/10/1

Y1 - 2017/10/1

N2 - Two signatures of quantum effects on radiation reaction in the collision of a GeV electron beam with a high intensity (>3×1020Wcm-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 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 . 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 1021W cm-2. This effect should therefore be measurable using current high-intensity laser systems.

AB - Two signatures of quantum effects on radiation reaction in the collision of a GeV electron beam with a high intensity (>3×1020Wcm-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 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 . 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 1021W cm-2. This effect should therefore be measurable using current high-intensity laser systems.

KW - Intense particle beams

KW - plasma dynamics

KW - plasma simulation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85029860642&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S0022377817000642

DO - 10.1017/S0022377817000642

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85029860642

SN - 0022-3778

VL - 83

JO - Journal of Plasma Physics

JF - Journal of Plasma Physics

IS - 5

M1 - 715830502

ER -