I About Direct Laser Acceleration

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The discussion centers on the Lawson–Woodward theorem and its implications for direct laser acceleration of particles. While the theorem suggests that lasers cannot accelerate particles, the acceleration of electrons in free space raises questions about this limitation. Participants explore the potential of using center-focusing forces in ion channels to create compact free-electron lasers, combining these with plasma accelerators. The conversation highlights that traditional far-field electromagnetic fields lack the longitudinal electric fields necessary for effective particle acceleration. Ultimately, the use of periodic structures like diffraction gratings is noted as a method to generate the required longitudinal fields for laser-induced particle accelerators.
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How does this Lawson–Woodward theorem work. I read on the wiki that the particles cannot be accelerated by lasers. But I do see acceleration of electrons with free space. I wonder how this is done.
https://rdcu.be/c0fRw
http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.19.021303
In addition, I have seen some designs that utilize the center-focusing force in the ion channel to realize the design of short-wavelength undulators, and combine them with plasma accelerators to realize compact free-electron lasers. Can it be achieved in direct laser acceleration, generating a center-pointing focused field as a short-wavelength undulator.
 
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The short internet blurb I read on the internet said no combination of far fields can accelerate a charged particle. This seems a reasonable statement since far field EM fields are predominantly transverse. There are no longitudinal electric fields to affect the acceleration.

laser induced particle accelerators use periodic structures like diffraction gratings to produce the needed longitudinal electric fields near the grating. This is analogous to the RF resonators used in linacs.
 
Theoretical physicist C.N. Yang died at the age of 103 years on October 18, 2025. He is the Yang in Yang-Mills theory, which he and his collaborators devised in 1953, which is a generic quantum field theory that is used by scientists to study amplitudes (i.e. vector probabilities) that are foundational in all Standard Model processes and most quantum gravity theories. He also won a Nobel prize in 1957 for his work on CP violation. (I didn't see the post in General Discussions at PF on his...

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