title: Generating "superponderomotive" electrons due to a non-wake-field interaction between a laser pulse and a longitudinal electric field.
abstract: It is shown that electrons with momenta exceeding the "free electron" limit of m(e)ca(0)(2)/2 can be produced when a laser pulse and a longitudinal electric field interact with an electron via a non-wake-field mechanism. The mechanism consists of two stages: the reduction of the electron dephasing rate γ - p(x)/m(e)c by an accelerating region of electric field and electron acceleration by the laser via the Lorentz force. This mechanism can, in principle, produce electrons that have longitudinal momenta that is a significant multiple of m(e)ca(0)(2)/2. 2D particle-in-cell simulations of a relatively simple laser-plasma interaction indicate that the generation of superponderomotive electrons is strongly affected by this "antidephasing" mechanism.
authors: Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom. alex.robinson@stfc.ac.uk
authors: A P L
authors: AP
authors: Robinson
authors: A V
authors: AV
authors: Arefiev
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Neely