Relativistic tennis with photons; Frequency up-shifting, light intensification and ion acceleration with flying mirrors

Bulanov, S. V.; Esirkepov, T. Z.; Kando, Masaki; Koga, J. K.; Pirozhkov, A. S.; Rosanov, N. N.*; Zhidkov, A.*

We formulate the Flying Mirror Concept for relativistic interaction of ultra-intense electromagnetic waves with plasmas, present its theoretical description and the results of computer simulations and laboratory experiments. The reflection of the electromagnetic wave at the relativistic mirror results in its energy and frequency change due to the double Doppler effect. In the co-propagating configuration, in the radiation pressure dominant regime, the energy of the electromagnetic wave is transferred to the ion energy providing a highly efficient acceleration mechanism. In the counter-propagation configuration the frequency of the reflected wave is multiplied by the factor proportional to the -factor squared.