Nonlinear Thomson backscattering of intense laser pulses by electrons trapped in plasma-vacuum boundary

Abstract

AbstractWe present the idea of intensified attosecond X-ray generation based on nonlinear Thomson backscattering of an intense laser pulse by electrons trapped in plasma-vacuum boundary. Two frequency up-conversions due to the relativistic Doppler effect and longitudinal γ-spike effect are analyzed, respectively, where γ is the relativistic factor of the plasma surface. Relativistic resonance heating conditions should be used as a criterion for the experimental design to obtain efficient high-order harmonics and energetic electrons' generation at relatively low laser intensities. Shaping the laser field by proposing a detuned second-harmonic can generate a single attosecond pulse without spectral filtering.