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

Journal Article · Sat Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3646520· OSTI ID:22046967

Bigongiari, A ^[1]; Raynaud, M ^[1]; Riconda, C ^[2]; Heron, A ^[3]; Macchi, A ^[4]

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1. CEA/DSM/LSI, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France)
2. TIPS/LULI, Universite Paris 6, CNRS, CEA, Ecole Polytechnique, 3, rue Galilee 94200, Ivry-sur-Seine (France)
3. CPHT, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France)
4. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Nazionale di Ottica (CNR/INO), Dipartimento di Fisica ''E. Fermi'', Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa (Italy)

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 10{sup 15} to 10{sup 20} W cm{sup -2}{mu}m{sup 2} with electron density ranging from 25 to 100n{sub c} 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 (I{lambda}{sup 2} < 10{sup 17} W cm{sup -2}{mu}m{sup 2}) and high (I{lambda}{sup 2} > 10{sup 17} W cm{sup -2}{mu}m{sup 2}) laser pulse intensities. At ''relativistic'' laser intensity, steady magnetic fields as high as {approx}580 MG {mu}m/{lambda}{sub 0} at 7 x 10{sup 19} W cm{sup -2}{mu}m{sup 2} are obtained in the simulations.

• OSTI ID: 22046967
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 18, Issue 10; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COUPLING
ELECTRON DENSITY
EXCITATION
LASER TARGETS
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA SIMULATION
PLASMA WAVES
PULSES
RELATIVISTIC PLASMA
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS