Ponderomotive force driven acceleration of an electron at the focus of a high-intensity short-pulse laser is considered. Accounting for the asymmetry of acceleration and deceleration due to the evolution of the Gaussian laser beam waist, the energized electron is extracted from the laser pulse by the longitudinal ponderomotive force. It is shown that an electron’s energy gain in the range of MeV can be realized for laser intensities above ${10}^{19}\mathrm{W}\mu {\mathrm{m}}^2/{\mathrm{cm}}^2.$ Final energy gain as a function of the scattering angle and the electron’s initial position has also been discussed.

• Received 17 April 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.68.046407