Nonlinear reflection of high-amplitude laser pulses from relativistic electron mirrors

A coherent X-ray pulse of attosecond duration can be formed in the reflection of a counterpropagating laser pulse from a relativistic electron mirror. The reflection of a high-amplitude laser pulse from the relativistic electron mirror located in the field of an accelerating laser pulse is investigated by means of two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulation. It is shown that provided the amplitude of the counterpropagating laser pulse is several times greater than the amplitude of the accelerating laser pulse, the reflection process is highly nonlinear, which causes a significant change in the X-ray pulse shape and its shortening up to generation of quasi-unipolar pulses and single-cycle pulses. A physical mechanism responsible for this nonlinearity of the reflection process is explained, and the parameters of the reflected X-ray pulses are determined. It is shown that the duration of these pulses may constitute 50 – 60 as, while their amplitude may be sub-relativistic.