Journal of the Korean Physical Society, Vol. 32, No. 1, January 1998, pp.

3034

Relativistic Cyclotron Motion in a Polarized Electric Field

Sang Wook Kim, Duck-Hee Kwon and Hai-Woong Lee
Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology,
Taejon 305-701
(Received 20 June 1997)
The relativistic cyclotron motion in a uniform magnetic field and in a transverse time-periodic
electric field is studied, with particular attention to qualitative differences in the nature of the
motion under linearly and circularly polarized electric fields. Theoretical analysis based on the
Lagrangian formulation of the cyclotron motion allows a direct comparision for the two polarizations
and confirms the earlier observation that the cyclotron motion is always integrable when the electric
field is circularly polarized, but is not under a linearly polarized electric field.

I. INTRODUCTION

in mutually orthogonal uniform magnetic and oscillating

electric fields is integrable when the electric field is circularly polarized [20]. On the other hand, the relativistic
cyclotron motion can become chaotic if the electric field
is linearly polarized [8]. Thus, the question concerning
the role played by the polarization state of the electric
field in cyclotron motion naturally arises.
The main pupose of the present work is to provide a
theoretical analysis of the effect of the polarization state
of the electric field upon the integrability of cyclotron
motion. We formulate the problem in such a way that
the two cases of linearly and circularly polarized electric
fields can be compared directly and analyzed in a unified fashion. Also considered is the cyclotron motion in
the nonrelativistic limit. It is shown that nonrelativistic
cyclotron motion is integrable, regardless of whether the
electric field is circularly or linearly polarized.

The study of the relativistic dynamics of charged particles moving in electric and magnetic fields is of prime importance in accelerator and plasma physics, where such
devices as the cyclotron, tokamak, and free-electron laser
are frequently encountered [1,2]. The recent surge of interest in this study stems partly from theoretical and
experimental findings that such particles are capable of
exhibiting chaotic behavior. Systems that have recently
been found to exhibit chaos include electrons undergoing
relativistic cyclotron motion [38], electrons moving at
relativistic velocities through a wiggler in a free-electron
laser device [915], and particles oscillating at relativistic
velocities under the influence of a harmonic or nonharmonic potential [16,17]. These studies are not just of academic interest; identifying the cause of and finding a way
of suppressing or controlling such relativistic chaos is
directly linked to the practical problem of improving the
performance of the device being considered, whether it
be the cyclotron, the tokamak or the free-electron laser.
Relativistic cyclotron motion is a subject of interest also
in atomic physics, as it occurs, for example, in the Penning trap. Despite the fact that one usually deals with
only weakly relativistic electrons in the Penning trap,
some interesting relativistic effects, such as bistable hysteresis, were observed to occur in the cyclotron motion
there [18,19].

II. THEORY OF CYCLOTRON MOTION

Let us consider a particle of mass m and charge q moving in a uniform magnetic field B = B0 ez and a timeperiodic electric field E assumed to be orthogonal to B.
From here on the vector ei denotes a unit vector along the
i direction. Below, we analyze the motion of the particle
for the cases when the electric field is circularly polarized
and when it is linearly polarized. In both cases, no force
exits along the z direction; thus, the motion can be considered to occur in the xy plane. We use Gaussian units
throughout.

Recent investigations of relativistic cyclotron motion

have revealed that the qualitative nature of the motion
can be quite different, depending upon the polarization
state of the electric field. In particular, it was shown
that the relativistic motion of a charged particle moving

1. Circularly Polarized Electric Field

E-mail : hwlee@laputa.kaist.ac.kr, Fax : 82-42-869-2510

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Relativistic Cyclotron Motion in a Polarized Electric Field Sang Wook Kim et al.

When the electric field is circularly polarized, it can be

written as
E = E0 cos wt ex + E0 sin wt ey .

(1)

The scalar and the vector potentials, and A, can be

taken to be
= xE0 cos wt yE0 sin wt,

(2)

yB0
xB0
ex +
ey .
2
2

(3)

A=

Although our main interest is in the relativistic motion,

we first consider the motion in the nonrelativistic limit.
The Lagrangian in the nonrelativistic region is given by
q
L = T q + A v
c

(4)

where T is the kinetic energy. For the particle being

considered, we can immediately write
L =

1
m(x 2 + y 2 ) + qE0 x cos wt
2
qB0
+qE0 y sin wt
(y x xy).

2c

(5)

The canonical momenta are then given by

px = mx

qB0
y,
2c

py = my +

qB0
x,
2c

and the Hamiltonian by


2

2
1
qB0
1
qB0
H =
px +
y +
py
x
2m
2c
2m
2c
qE0 x cos wt qE0 y sin wt.
Hamiltons equations of motion take the form


dx
1
qB0
=
px +
y ,
dt
m
2c


dy
1
qB0
=
py
x ,
dt
m
2c


dpx
qB0
qB0
py
=
x + qE0 cos wt,
dt
2mc
2c


dpy
qB0
qB0
=
px +
y + qE0 sin wt.
dt
2mc
2c

(6)

(7)

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the Lagrangian given by Eq. (5) is invariant under the

transformation

x x + y,
y y x, (14)
tt ,
w
the third constant of motion can be determined as
H
px y py x +
= const.
(15)
w
With the constants of motion as found above, one can
show that the nonrelativistic motion being considered is
integrable [20].
We now wish to consider the relativistic motion for
which the Lagrangian is given by
r
v2
q
2
L = mc 1 2 q + A v.
(16)
c
c
For the particle being considered, the Lagrangian becomes
r
x 2 + y 2
2
L = mc 1
+ qE0 x cos wt
c2
qB0
+qE0 y sin wt
(y x xy),

(17)
2c
and the canonical momenta
r
x 2 + y 2
qB0
px = mx/

y,
2
c
2c
r
x 2 + y 2
qB0
py = my/

1
+
x.
(18)
2
c
2c
The Hamiltonian can easily be obtained as
r

qB0 2 2 
qB0 2 2
H =
m2 c4 + px +
y c + py
x c
2c
2c
qE0 x cos wt qE0 y sin wt.
(19)
Hamiltons equations of motion now become

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

Equations (8)-(10) immediately suggest that we have two

constants of motion:
px

qB0
qE0
y
sin wt = const,
2c
w

(12)

py +

qB0
qE0
x+
cos wt = const.
2c
w

(13)

Following Bourdier et al. [20], a third constant of motion can be found using Noethers theorem. Noting that

2
0
(px + qB
dx
2c y)c
=q
, (20)
dt
0
2 c2 +(p qB0 x)2 c2
m2 c4 +(px + qB
y)
y
2c
2c
2
0
(py qB
dy
2c x)c
, (21)
=q
dt
0
2 c2 +(p qB0 x)2 c2
m2 c4 +(px + qB
y)
y
2c
2c

0
qB0 c(py qB
dpx
2c x)
= q
dt
qB0
0
2 2
2 2
2 m2 c4 +(px + qB
2c y) c +(py 2c x) c

+qE0 cos wt,

(22)

0
qB0 c(px + qB
dpy
2c y)
= q
dt
qB0
0
2 2
2 2
2 m2 c4 +(px + qB
2c y) c +(py 2c x) c

+qE0 sin wt.

(23)

As in the nonrelativistic case, we immediately see from

Eqs. (20)-(23) that there are two constants of motion

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Journal of the Korean Physical Society, Vol. 32, No. 1, January 1998

given by Eqs. (12) and (13). At the same time, the Lagrangian of Eq. (17) is invariant under the transformation of Eq. (14), which indicates that Eq. (15) is valid
here. We can, thus, conclude that the relativistic motion, as well as the nonrelativistic motion, is integrable if
the electric field is circularly polarized.

2. Linearly Polarized Electric Field

= rE0 sin cos wt,

We now assume that the electric field is linearly polarized and choose the direction of polarization to be the y
direction,
E = E0 cos wt ey .

Rather than trying to find a third contant of motion, we

found it convenient to go to a rotating frame of reference
and to look at the motion in that frame.
In order to describe the motion in a rotating frame,
we need first to express Eqs. (26)-(28) in terms of the
cylindrical coordinates r and . Since the scalar and
the vector potentials are given in terms of the cylindrical
coordinates by

The scalar potential can be taken as

while the vector potential A is still given by Eq. (3).

Let us first consider the nonrelativistic motion. The
Lagrangian, the canonical momenta, and the Hamiltonian can easily be obtained as
L=

1
qB0
m(x 2 + y 2 ) + qE0 y cos wt
(y x xy),(26)

2
2c

qB0
y,
px = mx
2c

H =

1
qB0
px +
y
2m
2c
qE0 y cos wt,

qB0
py = my +
x,
2c
2

1
2m

(27)

and Hamiltons equations of motion as



dx
1
qB0
=
px +
y ,
dt
m
2c


dy
1
qB0
=
py
x ,
dt
m
2c


dpx
qB0
qB0
=
py
x ,
dt
2mc
2c


dpy
qB0
qB0
=
px +
y + qE0 cos wt.
dt
2mc
2c

qB0
y = const,
2c

qB0
qE0
py +
x
sin wt = const.
2c
w

H =

p = mr2 +

qB0 2
r ,
2c


2
1
1
qB0 2
pr 2 +
p

2m
2mr2
2c
qE0 r sin cos wt.

(38)

(39)

We now consider a frame of reference rotating clockwise with an angular velocity of, say, . The Lagrangian
in this rotating frame can be expressed as

(28)

1 2
(r + r2 ( )2 ) + qE0 r sin ( t) cos wt
2
qB0 2
+
r ( ).
(40)
2c

Equation (40) takes a particularly simple form if we

choose
(29)

(30)

qB0
,
2mc

(41)

which corresponds to the Larmor frequency, i.e., the angular frequency of the rotational motion of the charged
particle due to the action of the magnetic field B = B0 ez .
Substituting Eq. (41) into Eq. (40), we obtain

(31)

1
1
L = m(r 2+r2 2 ) mr2 2+qE0 r sin (t) cos wt.(42)
2
2

(32)

Going back to the Cartesian coordinates in this rotating

frame, Eq. (42) becomes

It then is immediately clear that two constants of motion

are given by
px

1
qB0 2
m(r 2 + r2 2 ) + qE0 r sin cos wt +
r ,(37)
2
2c

pr = mr,

L =

2
qB0
py
x
2c

(36)

we obtain
L=

(25)

B0 r
e ,
2

A=

(24)

= yE0 cos wt

(35)

(33)
(34)

In this case, however, the Lagrangian given by Eq. (26)

is not invariant under the transformation of Eq. (14).

L =

1
1
m(x 2 + y 2 ) m(x2 + y 2 )2
2
2
+qE0 (y cos t cos wtx sin t cos wt).

(43)

Equation (43) indicates that, when viewed in the rotating

frame of reference with given by Eq. (41), the motion
being considered appears as driven harmonic oscillations
in the x and the y directions, with the amplitude of the
driving force of frequency of w being modulated at a
frequency of . The motion viewed in this rotating frame

Relativistic Cyclotron Motion in a Polarized Electric Field Sang Wook Kim et al.

is, thus, regular, and so is the motion in the laboratory

frame.
Finally, we wish to consider the relativistic motion.
The Lagrangian of the particle is given in the laboratory
frame by
r
x 2 + y 2
qB0
2
+qE0 y cos wt
(y xx
y).(44)

L = mc 1
c2
2c
As in the relativistic case, this Lagrangian is not invariant under the tranformation of Eq. (14); thus, we again
attempt to view the motion in a rotating frame of reference. Expressing first the Lagrangian in the larboratory
frame in terms of cylindrical coordinates, we have
s
r 2 +r2 2
qB0 2
L = mc2 1
+qE0 r sin cos wt+
r .(45)
2
c
2c
In a frame rotating at a frequency of, say, , Eq. (45)
becomes
s
r 2 + r2 ( )2
L = mc2 1
c2
qB0 2
+qE0 r sin (t) cos wt+
r (). (46)
2c
Unlike the case of the nonrelativistic motion, no particular value of exists for which Eq. (46) reduces to a simple form. Mathematically, this is due to the fact that the
kinetic-energy term in the Lagrangian involves a more
complicated expression in the relativistic case. Physically, this originates from the fact that the rotational
frequency of the particle in the presence of a constant
magnetic field B0 in the relativistic case is given by
=

qB0
2mc

(47)

and is no longer a constant; it depends on p

the velocity
of the particle through the quantity = 1/ 1 v 2 /c2 .
One can, thus, conclude that no rotating frame of reference exists in which the motion of the particle appears
simple. It, therefore, is not surprising that the relativistic cyclotron motion for the case when the electric
field is linearly polarized can display chaotic behavior.

III. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION

In conclusion, we have shown that the relativistic motion of a charged particle moving in a uniform magnetic
field and a time-periodic electric field is integrable when
the electric field is circularly polarized, but is not integrable when the electric field is linearly polarized. The
corresponding nonrelativistic motion, however, is integrable, regardless of whether the electric field is circularly polarized or linearly polarized. In the relativistic
case, one, thus, sees that the qualitative nature of the

-33-

motion is different, depending on the polarization state

of the electric field.
One can perhaps gain some physical insight into this
polarization effect by considering the motion in a rotating
frame of reference. For the case of a circularly polarized
electric field, one may choose to view the particle motion
in the frame rotating with the electric field at frequency
w. The particle motion is then essentially equivalent to
that in the presence of static electric and magnetic fields.
For the case of a linearly polarized electric field, there, of
course, does not exist a frame rotating with the electric
field. Nevertheless, if the motion remains nonrelativistic,
one may choose to view the motion in a frame rotating
at the Larmor frequency = qB0 /2mc . In this rotating
frame, the electric field is still time dependent, but our
analysis in Sec. II shows that in the rotating frame, the
combined effect of the electric and the magnetic fields
can be represented by forced harmonic oscillations. If the
motion is relativistic, however, the rotational frequency
= qB0 /2mc in the presence of a constant magnetic
field B0 is no longer constant, and the above argument
for the nonrelativistic case breaks down.
Finally, we mention that there is no rigorous way of
proving that a given system is nonintegrable, except to
show via numerical computation that the system exhibits
chaotic behavior. A computation of Poincare phase-space
maps, which was performed recently on a particle undergoing relativistic cyclotron motion, has clearly indicated
the occurrence of chaotic behavior when the electric field
is linearly polarized [8]. On the other hand, when the
electric field is circularly polarized, it can be rigorously
proven that the system is integrable by finding the constants of motion, as was done earlier [20]. The significance of the present work lies in the fact that the two
cases of linearly and circularly polarized electric fields are
analyzed within the same framework, which allows one to
compare directly the two cases and to understand clearly
the role played by the polarization state of the electric
field.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was supported by the Korea Science and
Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) under Grant No. 9610202-011-2, by the Ministry of Science and Technology
(MOST) of Korea, and by a Korea Advanced Institute of
Science and Technology (KAIST) research grant.
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Journal of the Korean Physical Society, Vol. 32, No. 1, January 1998

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