Electron Dynamics in a Wakefield Accelerator Driven by Laser Pulses Carrying Orbital Angular Momentum

Abstract

Laser pulses carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) provide a new degree of freedom for controlling plasma-based accelerators. Here, we experimentally demonstrate OAM-driven laser wakefield acceleration, producing electron beams with a two-beamlet structure that indicates unique azimuthal dynamics inside the plasma wake. Particle-in-cell simulations reproduced the observed spectral features and revealed helical electron trajectories driven by OAM-pulse-driven wakefields. These results show that the laser driver's phase structure can shape electron acceleration dynamics, opening a route to optimal control of beam structure in compact laser-driven accelerators.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@misc{qian2026electron,
  title = {{Electron Dynamics in a Wakefield Accelerator Driven by Laser Pulses Carrying Orbital Angular Momentum}},
  author = {Q. Qian and M. Li and Y. Ma and P. T. Campbell and C-H. Chang and E. Denis and N. Ernst and R. Fedosejevs and B. Hou and A. James and M. W. von der Leyen and K. Krushelnick and C. Kuranz and A. Longman and A. Maksimchuk and J. Nees and P. Norreys and T. Nutting and J. B. Ohland and J. Palastro and A. G. R. Thomas and R. Timmis and L. Willingale and M. Burger},
  howpublished = {arXiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2608.15039},
  eprint = {2608.15039},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.15039},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

RIS

TY  - UNPB
TI  - Electron Dynamics in a Wakefield Accelerator Driven by Laser Pulses Carrying Orbital Angular Momentum
AU  - Q. Qian
AU  - M. Li
AU  - Y. Ma
AU  - P. T. Campbell
AU  - C-H. Chang
AU  - E. Denis
AU  - N. Ernst
AU  - R. Fedosejevs
AU  - B. Hou
AU  - A. James
AU  - M. W. von der Leyen
AU  - K. Krushelnick
AU  - C. Kuranz
AU  - A. Longman
AU  - A. Maksimchuk
AU  - J. Nees
AU  - P. Norreys
AU  - T. Nutting
AU  - J. B. Ohland
AU  - J. Palastro
AU  - A. G. R. Thomas
AU  - R. Timmis
AU  - L. Willingale
AU  - M. Burger
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/14
PB  - arXiv
DO  - 10.48550/arxiv.2608.15039
UR  - https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.15039
AB  - Laser pulses carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) provide a new degree of freedom for controlling plasma-based accelerators. Here, we experimentally demonstrate OAM-driven laser wakefield acceleration, producing electron beams with a two-beamlet structure that indicates unique azimuthal dynamics inside the plasma wake. Particle-in-cell simulations reproduced the observed spectral features and revealed helical electron trajectories driven by OAM-pulse-driven wakefields. These results show that the laser driver's phase structure can shape electron acceleration dynamics, opening a route to optimal control of beam structure in compact laser-driven accelerators.
ER  -

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