  In this work, we will show through three-dimensional particle-in-cell
simulations that direct laser acceleration in laser a wakefield accelerator can
generate sub-femtosecond electron bunches. Two simulations were done with two
laser pulse durations, such that the shortest laser pulse occupies only a
fraction of the first bubble, whereas the longer pulse fills the entire first
bubble. In the latter case, as the trapped electrons moved forward and
interacted with the high intensity region of the laser pulse, micro-bunching
occurred naturally, producing 0.5 fs electron bunches. This is not observed in
the short pulse simulation.
