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Time-frequency analysis of nonlinear Compton scattering via joint probability distributions

Nikita Larin* and Daniel Seipt

  • *Contact author: nikita.larin@uni-jena.de
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Phys. Rev. D 114, 016033 – Published 29 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/p777-m7rw

Abstract

The interaction of charged particles with an intense laser pulse gives rise to a number of characteristic spectral features of emitted radiation, including the generation of harmonics, spectral broadening due to the phase-dependent ponderomotive red shift, and the emergence of intricate subharmonic structures. These effects are accumulated over the course of the interaction with the electromagnetic field and are therefore inherently nonlocal in nature. For a deeper understanding of strong-field quantum electrodynamics (SFQED) processes and their practical applications, it is desirable to employ tools that enable simultaneous analysis in the time and energy domains. In time-frequency analysis, such tools are provided by joint distributions (JDs). In this work, we demonstrate how a JD can be devised within the SFQED framework. Specifically, we focus on constructing a non-negative JD, which allows for a clear probabilistic interpretation. We study the properties of the proposed distribution and test its utility by applying it to the nonlinear Compton scattering in complex laser pulse configurations with carrier-envelope phase and variable polarization.

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Phys. Rev. D 114, 016033– Published 29 July, 2026
  • Received 22 May 2026
  • Accepted 8 July 2026
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

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