Eur. Phys. J. D (2014) 68: 299
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2014-50324-y

Regular Article

Laser pulse-shape dependence of Compton scattering

¹ Bogoliubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, JINR, 141980 Dubna, Russia
² RCNP, 10-1 Mihogaoka Ibaraki, 567-0047 Osaka, Japan
³ Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01314 Dresden, Germany
⁴ Institut für Theoretische Physik, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
⁵ J-PARC Branch, KEK Theory Center, KEK, Tokai, 319-1106 Ibaraki, Japan
⁶ ILE, Yamada-oka, Suita, 565-0871 Osaka, Japan

^a e-mail: atitov@theor.jinr.ru

Received: 24 April 2014
Received in final form: 23 July 2014
Published online: 16 October 2014

Abstract

Compton scattering of short and ultra short (sub-cycle) laser pulses off mildly relativistic electrons is considered within a QED framework. The temporal shape of the pulse is essential for the differential cross section as a function of the energy of the scattered photon at fixed observation angle. The partly integrated cross section is sensitive to the non-linear dynamics resulting in a large enhancement of the cross section for short and, in particular, for ultra-short flat-top pulse envelopes which can reach several orders of magnitude, as compared with the case of a long pulse. Such effects can be studied experimentally and must be taken into account in Monte-Carlo transport simulations of the interaction of electrons and photons in a strong laser field.