Electron acceleration by a laser pulse having a Gaussian radial and temporal profile of intensity has been studied. The interaction region is vacuum followed by a gas. The starting point of the gas region has been chosen around the point at which the peak of the pulse interacts with the electron. The tunnel ionization of the gas causes a defocusing of the laser pulse and the electron experiences the action of a ponderomotive deceleration at the trailing part of the pulse with a lower intensity rather than an acceleration at the rising part of the laser pulse with a high intensity, and thus gains net energy. The initial density of the neutral gas atoms should be high enough to properly defocus the pulse; otherwise the electron experiences some deceleration during the trailing part of the pulse and the net energy gain is reduced. The rate of tunnel ionization increases with the increase in the laser intensity and the initial density of neutral gas atoms, and with the decreases in the laser spot size, which causes more defocusing of the laser pulse. The required initial density of neutral gas atoms decreases with the increase in the laser intensity and also with the decrease in the laser spot size.

• Received 23 October 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.69.046406