Transverse focuser for optical acceleration

We describe a novel design of an inverse ?erenkov accelerator for preinjected relativistic electrons. It utilizes synchronous linearly polarized input pulses focused by relatively small opposing sections of a conical mirror. The focal volume remains centered on the acceleration path throughout its entire length. Several advantages over existing designs are described, including, for any given wavelength, much larger acceleration areas that allow for much simpler preoptics and electron injection geometries and eventual self-compensation of nonlinear optical effects and compensation of ?erenkov material dispersion.