Eur. Phys. J. D 65, 533-540 (2011)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2011-20254-5

Regular Article

Collective properties of a relativistic electron beam injected into a high intensity optical lattice

Centre Lasers Intenses et Applications (CELIA), Université Bordeaux 1, CNRS, CEA, 33405 Talence, France

^a e-mail: andriyash@celia.u-bordeaux1.fr

Received: 2 May 2011
Received in final form: 26 July 2011
Published online: 22 November 2011

Abstract

Behaviour of a relativistic electron bunch, injected and trapped in a high intensity optical lattice resulting from the interference of two laser beams is studied. The optical lattice modifies the phase space distribution of the electron bunch due to the trapping and compression of the electrons by a ponderomotive force. High-frequency longitudinal beam eigenmodes of the trapped electron bunch are described in the framework of fluid and kinetic models. Such beam oscillations are expected to play a pivotal role in a stimulated Raman scattering of laser beams on the electrons.