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Title: Laser-to-hot-electron conversion limitations in relativistic laser matter interactions due to multi-picosecond dynamics

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4918332· OSTI ID:1235321
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [3];  [1];  [5];  [1];  [1];  [3]
  1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  2. The Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
  3. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  4. Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany)
  5. Voss Scientific, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

High-energy short-pulse lasers are pushing the limits of plasma-based particle acceleration, x-ray generation, and high-harmonic generation by creating strong electromagnetic fields at the laser focus where electrons are being accelerated to relativistic velocities. Understanding the relativistic electron dynamics is key for an accurate interpretation of measurements. We present a unified and self-consistent modeling approach in quantitative agreement with measurements and differing trends across multiple target types acquired from two separate laser systems, which differ only in their nanosecond to picosecond-scale rising edge. Insights from high-fidelity modeling of laser-plasma interaction demonstrate that the ps-scale, orders of magnitude weaker rising edge of the main pulse measurably alters target evolution and relativistic electron generation compared to idealized pulse shapes. This can lead for instance to the experimentally observed difference between 45 MeV and 75 MeV maximum energy protons for two nominally identical laser shots, due to ps-scale prepulse variations. Our results show that the realistic inclusion of temporal laser pulse profiles in modeling efforts is required if predictive capability and extrapolation are sought for future target and laser designs or for other relativistic laser ion acceleration schemes.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
1235321
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1421050
Report Number(s):
SAND-2015-3448J; PHPAEN; 583606
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 22, Issue 4; ISSN 1070-664X
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 36 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (21)

Efficient quasi-monoenergetic ion beams from laser-driven relativistic plasmas journal December 2015
Experiment and simulation of novel liquid crystal plasma mirrors for high contrast, intense laser pulses journal August 2016
Spontaneous emergence of non-planar electron orbits during direct laser acceleration by a linearly polarized laser pulse journal February 2016
Beyond the ponderomotive limit: Direct laser acceleration of relativistic electrons in sub-critical plasmas journal April 2016
Universal scalings for laser acceleration of electrons in ion channels journal October 2016
Laser-plasmas in the relativistic-transparency regime: Science and applications journal May 2017
Pulse contrast enhancement via non-collinear sum-frequency generation with the signal and idler of an optical parametric amplifier journal June 2019
Modeling pulse-cleaning plasma mirrors from dielectric response to saturation: A particle-in-cell approach journal October 2019
Direct laser acceleration of electrons in the plasma bubble by tightly focused laser pulses journal August 2019
Unstable longitudinal expansion of plasma foils accelerated by circularly polarized laser pulses in non-transparent regimes journal October 2019
Proton acceleration enhanced by a plasma jet in expanding foils undergoing relativistic transparency journal October 2015
Enhanced proton acceleration in an applied longitudinal magnetic field journal October 2016
Investigation of laser pulse length and pre-plasma scale length impact on hot electron generation on OMEGA-EP journal February 2017
High-angle deflection of the energetic electrons by a voluminous magnetic structure in near-normal intense laser-plasma interactions journal November 2018
Novel Aspects of Direct Laser Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons text January 2015
Spontaneous emergence of non-planar electron orbits during direct laser acceleration by a linearly polarized laser pulse text January 2015
Beyond the ponderomotive limit: direct laser acceleration of relativistic electrons in sub-critical plasmas text January 2016
Universal scalings for laser acceleration of electrons in ion channels text January 2016
Enhanced proton acceleration in an applied longitudinal magnetic field text January 2016
High-angle Deflection of the Energetic Electrons by a Voluminous Magnetic Structure in Near-normal Intense Laser-plasma Interactions text January 2018
Pulse contrast enhancement via non-collinear sum-frequency generation with the signal and idler of an optical parametric amplifier text January 2019

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