Generation of collimated vortex gamma-rays from intense Poincaré beam–plasma interaction
Abstract
We report on numerical calculations in which a multi-petawatt γ-ray beam is generated using a novel configuration based on fully structured light irradiating an overdense plasma waveguide. We analyze how the relativistic laser pulse efficiently confines and accelerates plasma electrons to GeV-scale energies and drives a quasi-static field that induces magneto-bremsstrahlung radiation. Multiphoton Compton scattering of electrons in the intense part of the laser also occurs although the radiated energy-density is comparatively lower. The emitted γ-rays carry orbital angular momentum, are highly collimated, and account for upwards of 15% of the incident field energy in one particular case. A comparison of the laser-to-particle angular momentum and energy transfer efficiencies is made between the cases of irradiation by a circularly polarized Laguerre–Gauss mode and one type of full Poincaré beam, and it is found that the latter yields an order-of-magnitude enhancement. The essential characteristics of the interaction are validated with three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations that include quantum electrodynamical effects.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2022
- Source ID
- 10.1063/5.0102909
Entities
People
- Bahman Hafizi
- D. Gordon
- Daniel Younis
Organizations
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- Office of Science
- United States Naval Research Laboratory
- University of Rochester