Plasma acceleration of polarized particle beams

Abstract

Spin-polarized particle beams are of interest for applications like deep-inelastic scattering, e.g. to gain further understanding of the proton's nuclear structure. With the advent of high-intensity laser facilities, laser-plasma-based accelerators offer a promising alternative to standard radiofrequency-based accelerators, as they can shorten the required acceleration length significantly. However, in the scope of spin-polarized particles, they bring unique challenges. This paper reviews the developments in the field of spin-polarized particles, focusing on the interaction of laser pulses and high-energy particle beams with plasma. The relevant scaling laws for spin-dependent effects in laser-plasma interaction, as well as acceleration schemes for polarized leptons, ions, and gamma quanta, are discussed.