Acceleration of electrons in thin metal films by strong ultra-short laser pulses

The possibility of effective electron acceleration in a thin solid film exposed to irradiation by two power ultra-short laser pulses is discussed. The acceleration effect is caused by resonant action of the radiation on electrons oscillating across the film with frequencies close to the laser frequency. The relativistic equations of electron motion are numerically analyzed. q1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved