The results of analytical treatment and computer simulation of the interaction between the relativistically strong electromagnetic field of an ultrashort laser pulse and a highly inhomogeneous overdense plasma are presented. ''Vacuum heating of electrons:'' i.e., formation of a cloud of fast electrons that is expanding into vacuum is the primary mechanism responsible for electromagnetic energy absorption under the oblique incidence of an electromagnetic wave upon dense plasma with a sharp boundary. It is shown that, in the electron cloud expanding into vacuum, ions are accelerated up to the energies corresponding to the equality of ion and fast electron velocities.
VACUUM HEATING OF ELECTRONS AND ION-ACCELERATION IN ULTRASHORT LASER-PULSE INTERACTION WITH PLASMA
PEGORARO, FRANCESCO
1994-01-01
Abstract
The results of analytical treatment and computer simulation of the interaction between the relativistically strong electromagnetic field of an ultrashort laser pulse and a highly inhomogeneous overdense plasma are presented. ''Vacuum heating of electrons:'' i.e., formation of a cloud of fast electrons that is expanding into vacuum is the primary mechanism responsible for electromagnetic energy absorption under the oblique incidence of an electromagnetic wave upon dense plasma with a sharp boundary. It is shown that, in the electron cloud expanding into vacuum, ions are accelerated up to the energies corresponding to the equality of ion and fast electron velocities.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.