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We examine the impact of the ion dynamics on laser-driven electronacceleration in an initially empty channel irradiated by an ultra-highintensity laser pulse with $I > 10^{22}$ W/cm$^2$. The negative charge of theaccelerated electrons inside the channel generates a quasi-static transverseelectric field that causes gradual ion expansion into the channel. Once theions fill the channel, the pinching force from the quasi-static magnetic fieldgenerated by the accelerated electrons becomes uncompensated due to thereduction of the quasi-static transverse electric field. As a result there aretwo distinct populations of accelerated electrons: those that accelerate aheadof the expanding ion front while moving predominantly forward and those thataccelerate in the presence of the ions in the channel while performing strongtransverse oscillations. The ions diminish the role of the longitudinal laserelectric field, making the transverse electric field the dominant contributorto the electron energy. The ion expansion also has a profound impact on thegamma-ray emission, causing it to become volumetrically distributed whilereducing the total emitted energy. We formulate a criterion for the laser pulseduration that must be satisfied in order to minimize the undesired effect fromthe ions and to allow the electrons to remain highly collimated.\textcolor{black}{We demonstrate the predictive capability of this criterion byapplying it to assess the impact of a given pre-pulse on ion expansion. Ourresults provide a} guideline for future experiments at multi-PW laserfacilities with ultra-high intensities.

Impact of ion dynamics on laser-driven electron acceleration and gamma-ray emission in structured targets at ultra-high laser intensities