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Nanometer-scale prebunched electron beams generated from all-optical plasma-based acceleration

Zhenan Wang1,*, Zewei Xu1,*, Qianyi Ma1, Yuhui Xia1, Letian Liu1, Chenxu Wang1, Thamine Dalichaouch2,3, Xueqing Yan1,4,5, Xinlu Xu1,4,† et al.

Warren B. Mori2,3

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology and Key Laboratory of HEDP of the Ministry of Education, CAPT, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
  • 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
  • 3Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
  • 4Beijing Laser Acceleration Innovation Center, Huairou, Beijing 100871, China
  • 5Institute of Guangdong Laser Plasma Technology, Baiyun, Guangzhou 510540, China

  • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
  • †Contact author: xuxinlu@pku.edu.cn
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Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 29, 040702 – Published 9 April, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/5yxp-sjmh

Abstract

High-quality and prebunched electron beams can produce coherent x-rays with high intensity and narrow bandwidth, which are essential for modern light sources. An all-optical scheme based on plasma-based acceleration for producing bright electron beams that are prebunched on the nanometer scale is proposed. By using a density modulation created by two low intensity counterpropagating lasers, the phase velocity of the plasma wake excited by an intense driver laser in a uniform plasma can be modulated at a frequency twice that of the colliding lasers, thus turning the injection on and off. The injected electrons are microbunched at the Doppler-shifted modulated wavelength, corresponding to the phase velocity of the gradually expanding wakefield. It is demonstrated that by controlling the properties of the drive and colliding lasers, beams with exotic prebunched structures can be produced, which may have critical applications in ultrafast high power x-rays. This extremely compact, all-optical scheme for producing ultrabright prebunched electron beams may therefore enable novel applications for ultrafast x-ray users and arouse general interest in various fields.

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Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 29, 040702– Published 9 April, 2026
  • Received 5 November 2025
  • Accepted 16 March 2026
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