Wavefunctions of a free electron in an external field and their application in intense field interactions. II. Relativistic treatment

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
For pt.I see ibid., vol.13, p.2817, (1980). The behaviour of a relativistic free electron in an external plane wave field is analysed and a review of the existing solutions of the corresponding Dirac equation is presented. Completeness and orthogonality of the Volkov states are also proved. Based on the exact wavefunction obtained, a relativistic generalisation of the perturbation method proposed in pt.I is elaborated as a means of treating intense field problems in a covariant manner.