Mechanism of generating fast electrons by an intense laser at a steep overdense interface

Journal Article · Mon Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics (Print)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVE.84.025401· OSTI ID:21611551

May, J; Tonge, J ^[1]; Fiuza, F; Fonseca, R A; Silva, L O ^[2]; Ren, C ^[3]; Mori, W B ^[1]

---

1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States)
2. GoLP/Instituto de Plasmas e Fusao Nuclear, Laboratorio Associado, Instituto Superior Tecnico, P-1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal)
3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627 (United States)

The acceleration and heating of electrons by an intense laser normally incident on a steep overdense plasma interface is investigated using the particle-in-cell code osiris. Energetic electrons are generated by the laser's electric field in the vacuum region within {lambda}/4 of the surface. Only those electrons which originate within the plasma with a sufficiently large transverse momentum can escape the plasma. This mechanism relies on the standing wave structure created by the incoming and reflected wave and is therefore very different for linear and circularly polarized light.

• OSTI ID: 21611551
• Journal Information: Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics (Print), Vol. 84, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.84.025401; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1539-3755
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION
ELECTRIC FIELDS
LASERS
PLASMA
STANDING WAVES
TAIL ELECTRONS
TRANSVERSE MOMENTUM
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
LEPTONS
LINEAR MOMENTUM