NONLINEAR AMPLIFICATION OF INVERSE-BREMSSTRAHLUNG ELECTRON ACCELERATION

The acceleration of electrons using a laser and a static electric field perpendicular to the former is considered. The coupled particle-field equations are reduced to a second-order nonlinear inhomogeneous equation which determines the trajectory of the particle. The particle energy equation is considered and found to exhibit fold catastrophes. At these catastrophes, which may occur whenever the wave phase is n-pi if the direction of the applied weak field is reversed at (2n- 1)pi/2, further net acceleration occurs. The trajectory equation is found amenable to analytical treatment.