Efficient laser-overdense plasma coupling via surface plasma waves and steady magnetic field generation

The efficiency of laser overdense plasma coupling via surface plasma wave excitation is investigated. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed over a wide range of laser pulse intensity from 1015 to 1020 W cm−2 μm2 with electron density ranging from 25 to 100nc to describe the laser interaction with a grating target where a surface plasma wave excitation condition is fulfilled. The numerical studies confirm an efficient coupling with an enhancement of the laser absorption up to 75%. The simulations also show the presence of a localized, quasi-static magnetic field at the plasma surface. Two interaction regimes are identified for low (Iλ2   1017 W cm−2 μm2) laser pulse intensities. At “relativistic” laser intensity, steady magnetic fields as high as ∼580 MG μm/λ0 at 7 × 1019 W cm−2 μm2 are obtained in the simulations.

[1]  Jean-Claude J. Gauthier,et al.  Femtosecond laser-produced plasma x rays from periodically modulated surface targets , 1995, Optics & Photonics.

[2]  Hui Chen,et al.  Relativistic quasimonoenergetic positron jets from intense laser-solid interactions. , 2010, Physical review letters.

[3]  Pukhov,et al.  Relativistic magnetic self-channeling of light in near-critical plasma: Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation. , 1996, Physical review letters.

[4]  Shigeo Kawata,et al.  Short pulse laser interaction with micro-structured targets: simulations of laser absorption and ion acceleration , 2011 .

[5]  Xin Wang,et al.  Enhanced surface acceleration of fast electrons by using subwavelength grating targets , 2010 .

[6]  K. Mima,et al.  Magnetic instability by the relativistic laser pulses in overdense plasmas , 2000 .

[7]  R. More,et al.  Sheath inverse bremsstrahlung in laser produced plasmas , 1977 .

[8]  Jeremiah Brackbill,et al.  Magnetic-field--induced surface transport on laser-irradiated foils , 1982 .

[9]  S. Wilks,et al.  Absorption of ultrashort, ultra-intense laser light by solids and overdense plasmas , 1997 .

[10]  A Macchi,et al.  Surface oscillations in overdense plasmas irradiated by ultrashort laser pulses. , 2001, Physical review letters.

[11]  S. Wilks,et al.  Absorption of short laser pulses on solid targets in the ultrarelativistic regime. , 2008, Physical review letters.

[12]  P. Kaw,et al.  Surface Waves on a Plasma Half‐Space , 1970 .

[13]  A global simulation for laser-driven MeV electrons in 50-μm-diameter fast ignition targetsa) , 2006, physics/0601200.

[14]  M. Raynaud,et al.  Electron acceleration by surface plasma waves in the interaction between femtosecond laser pulses and sharp-edged overdense plasmas , 2004 .

[15]  Sudan.  Mechanism for the generation of 10(9) G magnetic fields in the interaction of ultraintense short laser pulse with an overdense plasma target. , 1993, Physical review letters.

[16]  Z. Sheng,et al.  Observation of a fast electron beam emitted along the surface of a target irradiated by intense femtosecond laser pulses. , 2006, Physical review letters.

[17]  E. Lindman,et al.  Surface-wave absorption , 1975 .

[18]  Ruxin Li,et al.  Collimated hot electron jets generated from subwavelength grating targets irradiated by intense short-pulse laser , 2010 .

[19]  Caterina Riconda,et al.  Strongly enhanced laser absorption and electron acceleration via resonant excitation of surface plasma waves , 2007 .

[20]  K. Mima,et al.  Magnetic-field generation and electron-collimation analysis for propagating fast electron beams in overdense plasmas. , 2011, Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics.

[21]  P. Mulser,et al.  High Power Laser-Matter Interaction , 2010 .

[22]  Tabak,et al.  Absorption of ultra-intense laser pulses. , 1992, Physical review letters.

[23]  J. Adam,et al.  Dispersion and transport of energetic particles due to the interaction of intense laser pulses with overdense plasmas. , 2006, Physical review letters.

[24]  Jie Zhang,et al.  A model for the efficient coupling between intense lasers and subwavelength grating targets , 2008 .

[25]  A. P. Matafonov,et al.  Generation of fast charged particles and superstrong magnetic fields in the interaction of ultrashort high-intensity laser pulses with solid targets , 2008 .

[26]  P. Mulser,et al.  Collisionless laser-energy conversion by anharmonic resonance. , 2008, Physical review letters.

[27]  K. Papadopoulos,et al.  SPONTANEOUS MAGNETIC FIELDS IN LASER-PRODUCED PLASMAS. , 1971 .

[28]  Bell,et al.  Collisionless absorption in sharp-edged plasmas. , 1992, Physical review letters.

[29]  Edward B. Clark,et al.  Temporally and spatially resolved measurements of multi-megagauss magnetic fields in high intensity laser-produced plasmas , 2008 .

[30]  F. Brunel.  Anomalous absorption of high intensity subpicosecond laser pulses , 1988 .

[31]  S. V. Bulanov,et al.  Optics in the relativistic regime , 2006 .

[32]  B. Albright,et al.  Hot-electron surface retention in intense short-pulse laser-matter interactions. , 2005, Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics.

[33]  Brunel.  Not-so-resonant, resonant absorption. , 1987, Physical review letters.

[34]  P. Audebert,et al.  Electron vacuum acceleration in a regime beyond Brunel absorption. , 2010 .

[35]  M. Tabak,et al.  MAGNETIC FIELD GENERATION IN HIGH-INTENSITY-LASER-MATTER INTERACTIONS , 1998 .

[36]  O. Landen,et al.  Finite temperature dense matter studies on next-generation light sources , 2003 .

[37]  Robin Marjoribanks,et al.  Plasma mirrors for ultrahigh-intensity optics , 2007 .

[38]  M. Desjarlais,et al.  Effect of lattice structure on energetic electron transport in solids irradiated by ultraintense laser pulses. , 2011, Physical review letters.

[39]  W. Kruer,et al.  J×B heating by very intense laser light , 1985 .

[40]  C. Thaury,et al.  Self-generation of megagauss magnetic fields during the expansion of a plasma. , 2010, Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics.