Complete reflection of nonlinear electromagnetic waves in underdense pair plasmas enabled by dynamically formed Bragg-like structures

Abstract: Using kinetic simulations and theory, we show that nonlinear electromagnetic waves can make even strongly underdense pair plasmas fully reflective. As the wave compresses and accelerates the plasma, weak reflection seeds a periodic train of density spikes that grow rapidly due to mass symmetry. This moving Bragg-like grating increases reflection and momentum transfer, enabling a transition to a regime where the relativistic plasma-vacuum interface sustains complete reflection. Finite temperature raises the full-reflection density threshold, yet the corresponding density can remain underdense.