Vorschau

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Abstract

In this work we study Nonlinear Compton Scattering, one of the most fundamental processes of Quantum Electrodynamics in a strong electromagnetic field background. One can imagine Nonlinear Compton Scattering as a process where a free electron scatters with a laser field, and while doing so it generates radiation. With the imminent inauguration of some Petawatt laser facilities, Nonlinear Compton Scattering will be routinely tested, especially in order to understand the dynamics of plasmas interacting with strong fields. Despite its promising applications, this process has always been studied for single particles with a well-defined initial momentum. We will show which effects arise when initially one or multiple electrons are in a wave packet state; in particular, we will be interested in which modifications are brought about by quantum effects, and which instead have a classical explanation. Moreover, in the multi-particle case, we will focus on the coherence of the emitted radiation, and calculate how quantum effects limit the frequencies at which the radiation can be coherent even at a regime typically associated with Classical Electrodynamics.