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Volume 10 Issue 5
Sep.  2025
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Article Navigation >  Matter and Radiation at Extremes  > 2025  >  10(5): 057203
X. J. Wang, H. Peng, T. W. Huang, Z. H. Hu, R. Li, K. Jiang, D. K. Li, J. Yu, H. X. Ye, M. Y. Yu, L. F. Cao, C. T. Zhou, S. C. Ruan. Three-dimensional nanoscale microbunching of relativistic electron beam via plasma wakefield for coherent EUV radiation[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2025, 10(5): 057203. doi: 10.1063/5.0254131
Citation: X. J. Wang, H. Peng, T. W. Huang, Z. H. Hu, R. Li, K. Jiang, D. K. Li, J. Yu, H. X. Ye, M. Y. Yu, L. F. Cao, C. T. Zhou, S. C. Ruan. Three-dimensional nanoscale microbunching of relativistic electron beam via plasma wakefield for coherent EUV radiation[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2025, 10(5): 057203. doi: 10.1063/5.0254131
shu

Three-dimensional nanoscale microbunching of relativistic electron beam via plasma wakefield for coherent EUV radiation

doi: 10.1063/5.0254131
  • 1.

    Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Intense Laser Application Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China

  • 2.

    College of Applied Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China

  • 3.

    School of Physics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China

More Information
    Abstract
  • We propose a compact scheme to modulate a relativistic electron beam (REB) into three-dimensional (3D) nanoscale bunches by injecting a rarefied REB into an underdense plasma. This scheme self-consistently integrates the lateral focusing and axial modulation of the REB in its self-driven plasma wakefield. The REB first expels the plasma electrons in its path to form a wake, where the lateral force of the charge-separation field compresses it to higher density, so that more plasma electrons are expelled as it propagates. The positive feedback loop is repeated until the REB becomes a thin electron filament of density a hundred times that of the original. As it continues to propagate in the elongated electron-free wake bubble, the axial electric field induces an energy chirp on the electron filament, and longitudinally modulates it into 3D nanoscale bunches by asynchronous envelope oscillations. The excitation conditions of this scheme with respect to the beam and plasma parameters, as well as the spatial scale of the obtained electron bunches, are analyzed analytically and agree well with particle-in-cell simulations. In addition, our radiation simulations show that coherent extreme ultraviolet radiation can be generated with such 3D nanoscale bunches.
    • The authors have no conflicts to disclose.
    Conflict of Interest
    X.J.W., H.P., and T.W.H. developed the theoretical work. X.J.W. conducted the simulations. X.J.W., H.P., and T.W.H. analyzed the data and produced the figures. Z.H.H., R.L., D.K.L., J.Y., and H.X.Y. helped review and interpret the data. X.J.W., H.P., T.W.H., and M.Y.Y. wrote the article. T.W.H., L.F.C., C.T.Z., and S.C.R. supervised the work. All authors have reviewed, discussed, and agreed to the complete statement.
    Author Contributions
    X. J. Wang: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal); Software (equal); Validation (equal); Visualization (equal); Writing – original draft (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). H. Peng: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Funding acquisition (equal); Methodology (equal); Software (equal); Writing – original draft (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). T. W. Huang: Conceptualization (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Funding acquisition (equal); Resources (equal); Supervision (equal); Writing – original draft (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). Z. H. Hu: Formal analysis (equal). R. Li: Formal analysis (equal); Resources (equal). K. Jiang: Methodology (equal); Resources (equal); Visualization (equal). D. K. Li: Resources (equal). J. Yu: Resources (equal). H. X. Ye: Resources (equal). M. Y. Yu: Writing – original draft (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). L. F. Cao: Conceptualization (equal); Funding acquisition (equal); Supervision (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). C. T. Zhou: Supervision (equal). S. C. Ruan: Supervision (equal).
    The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.
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