Using Relativistic Self-Trapping Regime of a High-Intensity Laser Pulse for High-Energy Electron Radiotherapy

Abstract

Abstract— Full-3D particle-in-cell Monte Carlo simulation of a new scheme of electron radiotherapy based on electron acceleration by high-power femtosecond laser pulse propagating in plasma of sub-critical density in the relativistic self-trapping regime (V. Yu. Bychenkov et al., Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 61, 124004 (2019)) was carried out. Based on the results of simulation of distribution of energy deposited by electron bunches accelerated in such high-efficiency regime, it is demonstrated that a laser facility of $$ \gtrsim {\kern 1pt} 100$$ TW class is capable of providing therapy of deep soft-tissue lesions in soft biotissue and this approach has a number of advantages relative to traditional methods of beam therapy.