Relativistic Particle Motion in Nonuniform Electromagnetic Waves

G. Schmidt; T. Wilcox

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.31.1380

Relativistic Particle Motion in Nonuniform Electromagnetic Waves

G. Schmidt and T. Wilcox

Phys. Rev. Lett. 31, 1380 – Published 3 December 1973

Abstract

It is shown that a charged particle moving in a strong nonuniform electromagnetic wave suffers a net acceleration in the direction of the negative intensity gradient of the wave. Electrons will be expelled perpendicularly from narrow laser beams and various instabilities can result.

Received 25 June 1973

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.31.1380

Authors & Affiliations

G. Schmidt^* and T. Wilcox^†

Department of Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024

^*Permanent address: Department of Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N.J. 07030.
^†Work partially supported by the U.S. Office of Naval Research, Contract No. N00014-69-A-4023, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Contract No. NGL-05-007-190.