TY - JOUR

T1 - Relativistic electron-spin dynamics in a strong unipolar laser field

AU - Aleksandrov, I. A.

AU - Tumakov, D. A.

AU - Kudlis, A.

AU - Shabaev, V. M.

AU - Rosanov, N. N.

PY - 2020/8/4

Y1 - 2020/8/4

N2 - The behavior of an electron spin interacting with a linearly polarized laser field is analyzed. In contrast to previous considerations of the problem, the initial state of the electron represents a localized wave packet, and a spatial envelope is introduced for the laser pulse along its propagation direction, which allows one to take into account the finite size of both objects. Special attention is paid to ultrashort pulses possessing a high degree of unipolarity. Within a classical treatment (both nonrelativistic and relativistic), proportionality between the change of the electron-spin projections and the electric-field area of the pulse is clearly demonstrated. We also perform calculations of the electron-spin dynamics according to the Dirac equation. Evolving the electron wave function in time, we compute the mean values of the spin operator in various forms. It is shown that the classical relativistic predictions are accurately reproduced when using the Foldy-Wouthuysen operator. The same results are obtained when using the Lorentz transformation and the nonrelativistic (Pauli) spin operator in the particle's rest frame.

AB - The behavior of an electron spin interacting with a linearly polarized laser field is analyzed. In contrast to previous considerations of the problem, the initial state of the electron represents a localized wave packet, and a spatial envelope is introduced for the laser pulse along its propagation direction, which allows one to take into account the finite size of both objects. Special attention is paid to ultrashort pulses possessing a high degree of unipolarity. Within a classical treatment (both nonrelativistic and relativistic), proportionality between the change of the electron-spin projections and the electric-field area of the pulse is clearly demonstrated. We also perform calculations of the electron-spin dynamics according to the Dirac equation. Evolving the electron wave function in time, we compute the mean values of the spin operator in various forms. It is shown that the classical relativistic predictions are accurately reproduced when using the Foldy-Wouthuysen operator. The same results are obtained when using the Lorentz transformation and the nonrelativistic (Pauli) spin operator in the particle's rest frame.

KW - INTENSE

KW - PARTICLE

KW - PULSES

KW - AREA

KW - POLARIZATION

KW - IONIZATION

KW - KINEMATICS

KW - GENERATION

KW - OPTICS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089874342&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/b14f2a4c-66e8-322b-80b6-dc5106c7efc1/

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevA.102.023102

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevA.102.023102

M3 - Article

VL - 102

JO - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

JF - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

SN - 1050-2947

IS - 2

M1 - 023102

ER -