Final published version, 341 KB, PDF document
Available under license: CC BY: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Final published version
Licence: CC BY: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - A scalar field theory of 1+1-dimensional laser wakefield accelerators
AU - Aleksiejuk, Mark
AU - Burton, David
PY - 2024/8/20
Y1 - 2024/8/20
N2 - A relativistic non-linear scalar field theory is developed from a 2+2-dimensional decomposition of the cold plasma field equations, and the theory is used to investigate a 1+1-dimensional description of a laser wakefield accelerator. The relationship between the properties of a compact laser pulse and its wake is explored. Non-linear solutions are sought describing a regular (i.e. unbroken) wake driven by a prescribed circularly-polarised laser pulse. An upper bound on the dimensionless amplitude $a_0$ of the laser pulse is determined as a function of the phase speed $v$ of the wake. The asymptotic behaviour of the upper bound on $a_0$ as $v\rightarrow c$ is shown to agree with well-established, but approximate, results obtained using the conventional encoding of the plasma degrees of freedom. Our approach leads to a closed-form expression for the upper bound on $a_0$ which is exact for all values of the phase speed of the wake, unlike conventional results that are applicable only when $v$ is sufficiently close to $c$.
AB - A relativistic non-linear scalar field theory is developed from a 2+2-dimensional decomposition of the cold plasma field equations, and the theory is used to investigate a 1+1-dimensional description of a laser wakefield accelerator. The relationship between the properties of a compact laser pulse and its wake is explored. Non-linear solutions are sought describing a regular (i.e. unbroken) wake driven by a prescribed circularly-polarised laser pulse. An upper bound on the dimensionless amplitude $a_0$ of the laser pulse is determined as a function of the phase speed $v$ of the wake. The asymptotic behaviour of the upper bound on $a_0$ as $v\rightarrow c$ is shown to agree with well-established, but approximate, results obtained using the conventional encoding of the plasma degrees of freedom. Our approach leads to a closed-form expression for the upper bound on $a_0$ which is exact for all values of the phase speed of the wake, unlike conventional results that are applicable only when $v$ is sufficiently close to $c$.
U2 - 10.1088/1751-8121/ad6db0
DO - 10.1088/1751-8121/ad6db0
M3 - Journal article
VL - 57
JO - Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical
JF - Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical
SN - 1751-8113
IS - 35
M1 - 355701
ER -