Can a Laser Accelerate Stationary Electrons in an Electron-Photon Accelerator?

[Linuxkid]

I wanted to ask if it was possible to use a high output laser, and for the photons to transfer their momentum to stationary Electrons, and propel them? I found an article about laser particle accelerators, and SLAC was/is working one. They claimed also that phase velocity was an issue. But since the electrons are stationary, does the situation change?

http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/23212Thanks,
Nick

 

[ZapperZ]

Actually, if you look at conventional accelerator that uses RF accelerating structures, they are already using "photons" to accelerate such particles. After all, RF fields are simply EM radiation. It may not be in the optical range, but it is still the same thing. The only difference being that the laser used in the SLAC experiment do not have the boundary conditions as the RF accelerating structures.

Zz.

 

[Linuxkid]

I see, thanks for the insight. The proposal is to hold free electrons with a quadrupole magnet, and fire a laser to accelerate them into a phosphorous screen. Basically anyway.