Numerical modelling of production of ultrahigh-current-density ion beams by short-pulse laser-plasma interaction (original) (raw)

Abstract

The basic features of generation of ion beams of ultrahigh (> 10 9 A/cm 2) current densities by the skin-layer subrelativistic interaction of a short (≤ 1 ps) laser pulse with an inhomogeneous plasma layer are studied with the use of a two-fluid hydrodynamic 1-D computer code. The calculations performed for pico-and subpicosecond 1.05-μm laser pulses of intensity ∼ 10 16 ÷ 10 17 W/cm 2 confirm that non-linear ponderomotive forces induced by the laser pulse accelerate two thin (a few μm) plasma blocks of current densities in the range of 10 9 ÷ 10 11 A/cm 2 , propagating in forward and backward directions. The effect of initial plasma density gradient as well as the laser intensity and the pulse duration on characteristics of ion beams is demonstrated and discussed.

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