Wakefield generation and electron acceleration by intense super-Gaussian laser pulses propagating in plasma

Abstract

Abstract Evolution of longitudinal electrostatic wakefields, due to the propagation of a linearly polarized super-Gaussian laser pulse through homogeneous plasma has been presented via two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The wakes generated are compared with those generated by a Gaussian laser pulse in the relativistic regime. Further, one-dimensional numerical model has been used to validate the generated wakefields via simulation studies. Separatrix curves are plotted to study the trapping and energy gain of an externally injected test electron, due to the generated electrostatic wakefields. An enhancement in the peak energy of an externally injected electron accelerated by wakes generated by super-Gaussian pulse as compared to Gaussian pulse case has been observed.