Acceleration of dense electron bunches at the front of a high-power electromagnetic wave

The acceleration of dense electron bunches (e.g., those produced by the ionization of thin films) at the front of a high-power electromagnetic wave in vacuum is considered. It is shown that the reaction force of the intrinsic radiation of a bunch can play a significant role in the acceleration process because it gives rise to an additional accelerating force acting on the bunch and to forces that compress the bunch in the longitudinal direction. As a result, all of the bunch electrons can be synchronously accelerated during the first several half-periods of the external electromagnetic field.

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