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Abstract In this article we investigate novel signatures of radiation reaction via the angular deflection of an electron beam colliding at 90 degrees with an intense laser pulse. Due to the radiation reaction effect, the electrons can be deflected towards the beam axis for plane wave backgrounds, which is not possible in the absence of radiation reaction effects. The magnitude and size of the deflection angle can be controlled by tailoring the laser pulse shapes. The effect is first derived analytically using the Landau–Lifshitz equation, which allows to determine the important scaling behavior with laser intensity and particle energy. We then move on to full scale 3D Monte Carlo simulations to verify the effect is observable with present day laser technology. We investigate the opportunities for an indirect observation of laser depletion in such side scattering scenarios. 

The investigation of spin and polarization effects in ultra-high intensity laser–plasma and laser–beam interactions has become an emergent topic in high-field science recently. In this paper, we derive a relativistic kinetic description of spin-polarized plasmas, where quantum-electrodynamics effects are taken into account via Boltzmann-type collision operators under the local constant field approximation. The emergence of anomalous precession is derived from one-loop self-energy contributions in a strong background field. We are interested, in particular, in the interplay between radiation reaction effects and the spin polarization of the radiating particles. For this, we derive equations for spin-polarized quantum radiation reaction from moments of the spin-polarized kinetic equations. By comparing with the classical theory, we identify and discuss the spin-dependent radiation reaction terms and radiative contributions to spin dynamics. 

We investigate the suitability of using GeV laser wakefield accelerated electron beams to measure strong, B > 0.1 MT, magnetic fields. This method is explored as an alternative to proton deflectometry, which cannot be used for quantitative measurement using conventional analysis techniques at these extreme field strengths. Using such energetic electrons as a probe brings about several additional aspects for consideration, including beam divergence, detectors, and radiation reaction, which are considered here. Quantum radiation reaction on the probe is found to provide an additional measurement of the strength and length of fields, extending the standard deflectometry measurement that can only measure the path integrated fields. An experimental setup is proposed and measurement error is considered under near-term experimental conditions.