Temporal resolution criterion for correctly simulating relativistic electron motion in a high-intensity laser field
- Institute for Fusion Studies, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)
- Physics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (United States)
- Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX (United Kingdom)
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
Particle-in-cell codes are now standard tools for studying ultra-intense laser-plasma interactions. Motivated by direct laser acceleration of electrons in sub-critical plasmas, we examine temporal resolution requirements that must be satisfied to accurately calculate electron dynamics in strong laser fields. Using the motion of a single electron in a perfect plane electromagnetic wave as a test problem, we show surprising deterioration of the numerical accuracy with increasing wave amplitude a{sub 0} for a given time-step. We go on to show analytically that the time-step must be significantly less than λ/ca{sub 0} to achieve good accuracy. We thus propose adaptive electron sub-cycling as an efficient remedy.
- OSTI ID:
- 22408015
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 22, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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