Dynamical spin effects in ultra-relativistic laser pulses

Abstract: The dynamics of single laser-driven electrons and many particle systems with spin are investigated on the basis of a classical theory. We demonstrate that the spin forces can alter the electron dynamics in an ultra-relativistic laser field due to the coupling of the electron's spin degree of freedom to its kinematic momentum. High-energy electrons can acquire significant spin-dependent transverse momenta while passing through a counterpropagating ultra-relativistic infrared laser pulse. Numerical calculations show that the deflection of the electrons by the laser pulse is determined by the laser intensity, the pulse duration, and the initial spin orientation of the electron. We complement our investigation of these dynamical spin effects by performing particle-in-cell simulations and point out possibilities of an experimental realization of the predicted effect with available laser parameters.