ILP Theory Unit

Laser-assisted Relativistic Electron Motion

When an atomic electron is accelerated by super-intense electromagnetic radiation from a laser source, its velocity may approach the speed of light. The physics of a quantum electron undergoing such relativistic motion is studied by solving the time-dependent Dirac equation. The physics of a classical electron under the same conditions is studied by solving the classical relativistic equations of motion. Click here to see our computer movies of the newly discovered cycloatoms.

Selected Publications

"Critique of the Wigner tunneling speed and a proposed alternative"
P. Krekora, Q. Su, and R. Grobe, Phys. Rev. A, 64, 022105 (2001). PDF(124 kB)

"Dynamical signature in spatial spin distributions of relativistic electrons"
P. Krekora, Q. Su, and R. Grobe, J. Phys. B, 34, 2795-2806 (2001). PDF(193 kB)

"Dirac theory of ring-shaped electron distributions in cycloatoms"
P. Krekora, R.E. Wagner, Q. Su, and R. Grobe, Phys. Rev. A, 63, 25404 (2001). PDF(69 kB)

"Position dependent tunneling speed for particles under a barrier"
P. Krekora, Q. Su, and R. Grobe, in "Super-Intense Laser Physics", ed. By B. Piraux, and K. Rzazewski, (Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 2001) pp 369-378

"Effects of relativity on the time-resolved tunneling of electron wave packets"
P. Krekora, Q. Su, and R. Grobe, Phys. Rev. A, 63, 32107 (2001). PDF(108 kB)

"Relativistic electron spin motion in cycloatoms"
Q. Su, P.J. Peverly, R.E. Wagner, P. Krekora, and R. Grobe, Optics Express, 8, 51-58 (2001). PDF(114 kB)

"Examples of Classical and Genuinely Quantum Relativistic Phenomena"
Q. Su, and R. Grobe, Multiphoton Processes, eds, L.F. DiMauro, R.R. Freeman, and K.C. Kulander (AIP, New York, 2001) P. 655.

"Relativistic dynamics of atomic electrons in resonant magnetic-laser fields"
R.E. Wagner, Q. Su and R. Grobe, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 3282-3285 (2000). PDF(85kB)

"Classical versus quantum dynamics for a driven relativistic oscillator"
R.E. Wagner, P.J. Peverly, Q. Su and R. Grobe, Phys. Rev. A 61, 35402-35404 (2000).

"Fractional resonances in relativistic magnetic-laser-atom interactions"
P.J. Peverly, R.E. Wagner, Q. Su, and R. Grobe, Laser Phys. 10, 303 (2000).

"Spatial electron clouds at fractional and multiple magneto-optical resonances"
Q. Su, R.E. Wagner, P.J. Peverly, and R. Grobe, Frontiers of Laser Physics and Quantun Optics,
eds, A. Xu, S. Xie, S.-Y. Zhu and M.O. Scully, (Springer, Berlin)117-123 (2000)

"Numerical Approach to Solve the Time-dependent Dirac Equation"
J.W. Braun, Q. Su, and R. Grobe, Phys. Rev. A 59, 604-612, (1999).

"High Order Harmonic Generation in Relativistic Ionization of Magnetically Dressed Atoms"
R.E. Wagner, Q. Su, and R. Grobe, Phys. Rev. A, 60, 3233, (1999).

"Dynamics of Wave Packets in Inhomogeneous and Homogeneous Magnetic Fields"
J.C. Csesznegi, G.H. Rutherford, Q. Su and R. Grobe, Laser Phys. 9, 41-47, (1999).

"Relativistic Suppression of Wave Packet Spreading"
Q. Su, B.A. Smetanko and R. Grobe, Optics Express 2, 277-281 (1998). PDF(177 kB)

"Wave Packet Motion in Relativistic Electric Fields"
Q. Su, B.A. Smetanko and R. Grobe, Laser Phys. 8, 93-101 (1998).

"Essential States in the Relativistic Theory of Electron-photon Interactions"
Q. Su and J.H. Eberly, Phys. Rev. A 35, 2962 (1987).

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