Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities
Laser-solid interactions at the intensity range 10²³…10²⁶ W cm⁻² and the plasma density about 10²⁴ cm⁻³ are studied by means of numerical simulations. This range of parameters is extremely important for various laser applications such as fast ignition, gamma-ray generation and ion acceleration, and...
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| Cite this: | Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities / E.N. Nerush, I.Yu. Kostyukov // Вопросы атомной науки и техники. — 2013. — № 4. — С. 248-250. — Бібліогр.: 14 назв. — англ. |
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| citation_txt | Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities / E.N. Nerush, I.Yu. Kostyukov // Вопросы атомной науки и техники. — 2013. — № 4. — С. 248-250. — Бібліогр.: 14 назв. — англ. |
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| description | Laser-solid interactions at the intensity range 10²³…10²⁶ W cm⁻² and the plasma density about 10²⁴ cm⁻³ are studied by means of numerical simulations. This range of parameters is extremely important for various laser applications such as fast ignition, gamma-ray generation and ion acceleration, and will be reached by the next generation of intense laser facilities. An overview of the interaction regimes is given.
З використанням чисeльного моделювання розглянуто взаємодію лазерних імпульсів інтенсивністю 10²³…10²⁶ Вт·см⁻² з плазмовим шаром густиною 10²⁴ см⁻³. Розглянута область параметрів надзвичайно важлива для майбутніх застосувань надпотужних лазерних систем, наприклад, для схем «швидкого підпалу», для генерації гама-квантів, позитронів та прискорених іонів. Наведено огляд різних режимів взаємодії, що відповідають різним значенням інтенсивності лазерного поля.
С использованием численного моделирования рассмотрено взаимодействие лазерных импульсов интенсивностью 10²³…10²⁶ Вт·см⁻² с плазменным слоем плотностью 10²⁴ см⁻³. Рассмотренная область параметров чрезвычайно важна для будущих приложений сверхмощных лазерных систем, например, для схем «быстрого поджига», для генерации гамма- квантов, позитронов и ускоренных ионов. Дан обзор различных режимов взаимодействия, отвечающих различным значениям интенсивности лазерного поля.
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ISSN 1562-6016. ВАНТ. 2013. №4(86) 248
PARTICLE BEAMS FROM LASER-IRRADIATED SOLIDS
AT ULTRAHIGH INTENSITIES
E.N. Nerush1,2, I.Yu. Kostyukov1,2
1Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia;
2Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
E-mail: nerush@appl.sci-nnov.ru
Laser-solid interactions at the intensity range 1023…1026 W cm-2 and the plasma density about 1024 cm-3 are stud-
ied by means of numerical simulations. This range of parameters is extremely important for various laser applica-
tions such as fast ignition, gamma-ray generation and ion acceleration, and will be reached by the next generation of
intense laser facilities. An overview of the interaction regimes is given.
PACS: 52.65.Rr, 52.38.Ph
INTRODUCTION
Generation of high-energy particles in laser-matter
interactions attracts a lot of attention for many years.
The interest to this topic has been warmed up recently
by plans on construction of extremely intense laser fa-
cilities such as ELI [1] and XCELS [2]. A plenty of
novel effects are expected to be observed at the corre-
sponding intensity level, among them efficient ion ac-
celeration [3], electron acceleration [4, 5], gamma-ray
generation [6, 7], domination of radiation reaction [8]
and production of electron-positron pairs [9 - 12]. In
order to observe these effects some certain conditions
should be met. For instance, efficient ion generation
implies utilization of a quite wide supergaussian laser
beam [3] and prolific production of electron-positron
pairs also requires special field configuration [12].
However, some traits of these phenomena can reveal
itself in quite simple experimental setups.
In this paper normal incidence of an extremely in-
tense laser pulse on a solid-density foil is investigated
by means of 3D numerical simulations. The simulations
utilize particle-in-cell (PIC) and Monte Carlo (MC)
techniques and take into account ion motion, photon
emission (that readily lets to describe radiation reaction)
and electron-positron pair production via decay of hard
photons in strong laser-plasma fields.
Despite the considered problem statement is elemen-
tary, the interference of key effects leads to challenging
laser-plasma dynamics. A number of specific intensity
levels can be highlighted. Namely, at relativistic, but
low intensities the foil reflects the laser pulse that slight-
ly heats foil electrons; at higher intensities ions are ac-
celerated to relativistic velocities. Then gamma-ray
generation becomes efficient, at the same time ion mo-
tion significantly affects photon emission and the result-
ing radiation pattern. Finally, at intensity level about
1025…1026 W cm-2 prolific generation of electron-
positron plasma and generation of hard photons become
dominating. In this case ion acceleration is highly inef-
ficient, however, collimated gamma-ray beams as well
as a big number of ultrarelativistic electrons and posi-
trons are produced.
Since relativistic ions, ultrarelativistic electrons, pos-
itrons and hard photons have sufficiently different en-
ergy transport characteristics, the efficiency of laser-
based fast ignition schemes should strongly depend on
the laser-matter interaction regime.
1. KEY INTENSITY LEVELS
The key effects of laser-matter interaction in the
considered range of parameters are the following: ion
acceleration, radiation losses and pair production. In
order to estimate the intensity levels in which the corre-
sponding effects become important, we adopt the fol-
lowing assumptions. First, the electric field normal to the
foil surface is supposed to be the order of the incident
field. Second, the Lorentz factor of the laser-irradiated
electrons is estimated as ωmceEa /00 = , where E0 is
the amplitude of the laser field, c is the speed of light,
e > 0 and m are the magnitude of the electron charge and
the electron mass, respectively. Third, we assume that
the angle between the force acting on the electrons and
the electron velocity is about unity. We also neglect
here the effect of the reflected field gain [13].
The above mentioned assumptions lead to the fol-
lowing values of the key intensity levels:
23 4/3 21.6 10 [μm]W/cmRLI λ−= × ;
23 2 22.3 10 [μm]W/cmRPAI λ−= × ;
224 W/cm101.1 ×=−+eOeI ;
25 1 22.5 10 [μm]W/cmAe eI λ−
+ − = × .
Where RLI is the intensity level corresponds to sig-
nificant radiation losses, RPAI is the radiation-pressure-
acceleration regime, −+eOeI is the occasional e+e--pair pro-
duction and −+eAeI is the abundant e+e--pair production,
respectively, [μm]λ is the laser wavelength in microme-
ters. The significance of the radiation losses means that
the electrons emit a substantial portion of their energy
during the motion that can noticeably cools the plasma
electrons. Radiation pressure acceleration regime (laser-
piston regime) is a regime of laser-foil interaction that is
characterized by co-directional motion of the laser pulse
and the irradiated piece of the foil [3]. In this regime ions
quickly becomes relativistic and ion acceleration can be
very efficient. The intensity levels for occasional and
abundant e+e--pair production [14] was estimated in the
framework of the electromagnetic cascade model in rotat-
ing electric field [9]. Here occasional pair production
means that only a small fraction of plasma electrons emits
photons that are capable to decay and produce pairs, oth-
erwise, abundant pair production means that intense elec-
tromagnetic cascade is developing, hence, a substantial
fraction of the electrons emits hard photons that decay
ISSN 1562-6016. ВАНТ. 2013. №4(86) 249
and produce next generation of electrons and positrons,
that can also be accelerated and emit hard photons.
2. RESULTS OF NUMERICAL
SIMULATIONS
The results of 3D PIC+MC simulations of the nor-
mal incidence of the laser pulses with different intensi-
ties on a fully ionized Ti foil (the corresponding unper-
turbed electron density is 1.25.1024 cm-3) are shown in
Figs. 1-5. The duration of the laser pulses is 9 fs, and
their radius is 3 μm, the laser wavelength is 1 μm. The
dependency of the energy of the emitted hard photons,
the electron energy, the ion energy and the positron en-
ergy on initial laser pulse intensity is depicted in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1. The absorbed laser energy (dotted line),
the fraction of absorbed laser energy transmitted into
the gamma-ray energy (solid line), into the ion energy
(dashed line) and the positron energy (dash-dotted line)
obtained in numerical simulation of normal incidence
of a laser pulse on a Ti foil (see text for details)
Fig. 2. The trajectories of test foil electrons lying
initially on the laser pulse axis; t is the current time
normalized on the laser period and x is the coordinate
directed into the foil and normalized on the laser
wavelength
It should be mentioned that the intensity levels com-
puted in Sec. 2 agree reasonably with the dependencies
in Fig. 1. Namely, significant part of absorbed laser
energy goes to the ion energy at intensities higher than
2.1023 W cm-2; the threshold intensity for positron pro-
duction is about 1024 W cm-2. The efficiently of the ion
acceleration abruptly falls at intensities higher than
1025 W cm-2, that is explained by abundant e+e- plasma
generation (see Sec. 4) and agrees fairly good with the
value of −+eAeI from Sec. 2.
Nevertheless, the portion of absorbed laser energy
that is converted into gamma-ray energy dominates over
the electron energy at intensities higher than
2.1024 W cm-3 that looks contradictory to the value of
IRL from Sec. 2. The explanation of this discrepancy lies
possibly in the closeness of IRL and IRPA values, as well
as in some features of electron heating. The trajectories
of the test foil electrons shown in Fig. 2 clearly demon-
strates that at moderate intensity (3.1023 W cm-2) the
electrons interacts with strong laser field only on a shot
time interval and are injected into the foil. This process
leads to efficient conversion of laser energy into elec-
tron energy, however, electrons have no time to gain
high energy and emit it in hard photons.
3. HIGH-INTENSITY LIMIT
The energy density of the laser field, the electron
density and the positron density in successive time in-
stances are shown in Figs. 3-4 for the initial laser inten-
sity 1026 W cm-2 and other parameters the same as in
Sec. 3. The laser pulse is spaced initially from the foil
by 5 laser wavelengths.
It is seen from Fig. 3 that the laser pulse signifi-
cantly pushes plasma electrons. This leads to the gen-
eration of strong longitudinal (in the direction of the
laser pulse propagation) electric field that accelerates
ions up to relativistic velocities in a time less than the
laser period. Hence, ions and electrons move co-
directionally with the laser pulse. Electrons, however,
moves along the complicated trajectories and only in the
average move together with the ions and the laser pulse.
Hence, since the electron trajectories are bended, elec-
trons emit hard photons that decay in the laser-plasma
field and produce positrons.
Fig. 3. The laser energy density, the electron density
and the positron density at the time instance normalized
on laser period t=4. See text for details
In Fig. 4 the final stage of laser-plasma interaction in
high-intensity limit is shown. The bulb of electron-
positron plasma is generated and the number of elec-
tron-positron pairs becomes much greater than the num-
ber of the accelerated ions, because of this ion accelera-
tion becomes inefficient (see Fig. 1). Despite of abun-
dant production of electron-positron pairs, gamma-ray
emission remains the dominating process at high-
intensity limit.
ISSN 1562-6016. ВАНТ. 2013. №4(86) 250
Fig. 4. The laser energy density, the electron density
and the positron density at the time instance normalized
on laser period t=12. See text for details
Fig. 5. The gamma-ray distribution in the phasespace ux-
uy at the final stage of the laser-foil interaction depicted
in Fig. 4. Here ux and uy are the longitudinal and trans-
verse photon momenta, respectively, normalized on mc
CONCLUSIONS
Results of 3D numerical simulations of normal inci-
dence of laser pulses on a plasma slab (foil) reveal a
number of specific interaction regimes. The characteris-
tic intensity levels that correspond to these regimes are
estimated and compared with the results of numerical
simulations. It is shown that up to intensity 1025 W cm-2
ion acceleration remains efficient, and at higher intensi-
ties emission of gamma-rays and production of electron-
positron pairs in a co-propagated with a laser pulse bulb
of particles becomes the dominating process. The con-
sidered regimes of laser-plasma interaction could be
important for future laser-based positron and gamma-
ray sources, as well as for fast ignition experiments.
This work has been supported by the Government of
the Russian Federation (Project № 14.B25.31.0008), by
federal target program “The scientific and scientific-
pedagogical personnel of innovation in Russia” and by
the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (№ 12-02-
31426-mol_a).
REFERENCES
1. http://www.extreme-light-infrastructure.eu/
2. http://www.xcels.iapras.ru/
3. T. Esirkepov et al. Highly Efficient Relativistic-Ion
Generation in the Laser-Piston Regime // Physical
Review Letters. 2004, v. 92, iss. I.17, p. 175003-1-4.
4. A.A. Soloviev et al. Fast electron generation using
PW-class PEARL facility // Nuclear Instruments and
Methods in Physics Research A. 2011, v. 653, p. 35-41.
5. E.N. Nerush, I.Yu. Kostyukov. Carrier-Envelope
Phase Effects in Plasma-Based Electron Accelera-
tion with Few-Cycle Laser Pulses // Physical Review
Letters. 2009, v. 103, v. I.3, p. 035001-1-4.
6. T. Nakamura et al. High-Power Gamma-Ray Flash
Generation in Ultraintense Laser-Plasma Interactions
// Physical Review Letters. 2012, v. 108, p. 195001.
7. C.P. Ridgers et al. Dense Electron-Positron Plasmas and
Ultraintense Gamma-Rays from Laser-Irradiated Solids
// Physical Review Letters. 2012, v. 108, p. 165006.
8. S.V. Bulanov et al. Interaction of Electromagnetic
Waves with Plasmain the Radiation-Dominated Regime
// Plasma Physics Reports. 2004, v. 30, № 3, p. 196-213.
9. A.M. Fedotov et al. Limitations on the Attainable
Intensity of High-Power Lasers // Physical Review
Letters. 2010, v.105, p.080402.
10. A.R. Bell, J.G. Kirk. Possibility of Prolific Pair Pro-
duction with High-Power Lasers // Physical Review
Letters. 2008, v. 101, p. 200403.
11. E.N. Nerush et al. Laser field Absorption in Self-
Generated Electron-Positron Plasma // Physical Re-
view Letters. 2011, v. 106, p. 035001.
12. E.N. Nerush, I.Yu. Kostyukov. Radiation emission
by extreme relativistic electrons and pair production
by hard photons in a strong plasma wakefield //
Physical Review E. 2007, v. 77, iss. 5, p. 057401-1-4.
13. D. an der Brugge and A. Pukhov. Enhanced relativ-
istic harmonics by electron nanobunching // Physics
of Plasmas. 2010, v. 17, № 3, p. 033110.
14. E.N. Nerush, I.Yu. Kostyukov. Kinetic modelling of
quantum effects in laser-beam interaction // Nuclear
Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A.
2011, v. 653, p. 7-10.
Article received 10.04.2013.
ГЕНЕРАЦИЯ ПУЧКОВ ЧАСТИЦ ПРИ ВЗАИМОДЕЙСТВИИ ЛАЗЕРНОГО ИЗЛУЧЕНИЯ
СВЕРХВЫСОКОЙ ИНТЕНСИВНОСТИ С ТВЕРДОТЕЛЬНЫМИ МИШЕНЯМИ
Е.Н. Неруш, И.Ю. Костюков
С использованием численного моделирования рассмотрено взаимодействие лазерных импульсов интенсивностью
1023…1026 Вт·см-2 с плазменным слоем плотностью 1024 см-3. Рассмотренная область параметров чрезвычайно важна для
будущих приложений сверхмощных лазерных систем, например, для схем «быстрого поджига», для генерации гамма-
квантов, позитронов и ускоренных ионов. Дан обзор различных режимов взаимодействия, отвечающих различным зна-
чениям интенсивности лазерного поля.
ГЕНЕРАЦІЯ ПУЧКІВ ЧАСТИНОК ПРИ ВЗАЄМОДІЇ ЛАЗЕРНОГО ВИПРОМІНЮВАННЯ
НАДВИСОКОЇ ІНТЕНСИВНОСТІ З ТВЕРДОТІЛЬНИМИ МІШЕНЯМИ
Є.Н. Неруш, І.Ю. Костюков
З використанням чисeльного моделювання розглянуто взаємодію лазерних імпульсів інтенсивністю 1023…1026 Вт·см-2 з
плазмовим шаром густиною 1024 см-3. Розглянута область параметрів надзвичайно важлива для майбутніх застосувань над-
потужних лазерних систем, наприклад, для схем «швидкого підпалу», для генерації гама-квантів, позитронів та прискоре-
них іонів. Наведено огляд різних режимів взаємодії, що відповідають різним значенням інтенсивності лазерного поля.
|
| id | nasplib_isofts_kiev_ua-123456789-112178 |
| institution | Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine |
| issn | 1562-6016 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-12-07T18:19:05Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | Національний науковий центр «Харківський фізико-технічний інститут» НАН України |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | Nerush, E.N. Kostyukov, I.Yu. 2017-01-17T20:05:11Z 2017-01-17T20:05:11Z 2013 Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities / E.N. Nerush, I.Yu. Kostyukov // Вопросы атомной науки и техники. — 2013. — № 4. — С. 248-250. — Бібліогр.: 14 назв. — англ. 1562-6016 PACS: 52.65.Rr, 52.38.Ph https://nasplib.isofts.kiev.ua/handle/123456789/112178 Laser-solid interactions at the intensity range 10²³…10²⁶ W cm⁻² and the plasma density about 10²⁴ cm⁻³ are studied by means of numerical simulations. This range of parameters is extremely important for various laser applications such as fast ignition, gamma-ray generation and ion acceleration, and will be reached by the next generation of intense laser facilities. An overview of the interaction regimes is given. З використанням чисeльного моделювання розглянуто взаємодію лазерних імпульсів інтенсивністю 10²³…10²⁶ Вт·см⁻² з плазмовим шаром густиною 10²⁴ см⁻³. Розглянута область параметрів надзвичайно важлива для майбутніх застосувань надпотужних лазерних систем, наприклад, для схем «швидкого підпалу», для генерації гама-квантів, позитронів та прискорених іонів. Наведено огляд різних режимів взаємодії, що відповідають різним значенням інтенсивності лазерного поля. С использованием численного моделирования рассмотрено взаимодействие лазерных импульсов интенсивностью 10²³…10²⁶ Вт·см⁻² с плазменным слоем плотностью 10²⁴ см⁻³. Рассмотренная область параметров чрезвычайно важна для будущих приложений сверхмощных лазерных систем, например, для схем «быстрого поджига», для генерации гамма- квантов, позитронов и ускоренных ионов. Дан обзор различных режимов взаимодействия, отвечающих различным значениям интенсивности лазерного поля. This work has been supported by the Government of the Russian Federation (Project № 14.B25.31.0008), by federal target program “The scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel of innovation in Russia” and by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (№ 12-02-31426-mol_a). en Національний науковий центр «Харківський фізико-технічний інститут» НАН України Вопросы атомной науки и техники Нелинейные процессы в плазменных средах Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities Генерація пучків частинок при взаємодії лазерного випромінювання надвисокої інтенсивності з твердотільними мішенями Генерация пучков частиц при взаимодействии лазерного излучения сверхвысокой интенсивности с твердотельными мишенями Article published earlier |
| spellingShingle | Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities Nerush, E.N. Kostyukov, I.Yu. Нелинейные процессы в плазменных средах |
| title | Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities |
| title_alt | Генерація пучків частинок при взаємодії лазерного випромінювання надвисокої інтенсивності з твердотільними мішенями Генерация пучков частиц при взаимодействии лазерного излучения сверхвысокой интенсивности с твердотельными мишенями |
| title_full | Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities |
| title_fullStr | Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities |
| title_short | Particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities |
| title_sort | particle beams from laser-irradiated solids at ultrahigh intensities |
| topic | Нелинейные процессы в плазменных средах |
| topic_facet | Нелинейные процессы в плазменных средах |
| url | https://nasplib.isofts.kiev.ua/handle/123456789/112178 |
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