Free-Electron Laser and Laser Electron Acceleration Based on the Megagauss Magnetic Fields in Laser-Produced Plasmas

It is suggested that the megagauss magnetic fields generated in laser-produced plasmas be applied for (a) the construction of a wiggler for an x-ray free-electron laser and (b) charged-particle acceleration to high energies using the inverse free-electron laser and the autoresonance laser acceleration schemes. Coherent amplification of 10-{} radiation with a 150-MeV electron beam seems feasible and gigaelectronvolt electron beams may induce a γ-ray laser. An acceleration gradient of about [100 MV/cm] [z/(10cm)]^-13 can be achieved at a distance z along a 1-MG axial magnetic field in the autoresonance laser acceleration scheme, using a Nd:glass laser of 10¹⁸ W/cm².