A model of anomalous absorption, backscatter, and flux limitation in laser-produced plasmas

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Abstract
Fluid simulations of laser light absorption and backscatter for planar targets are presented for various laser irradiances, wavelengths, target materials, laser pulse lengths, and simulated prepulse conditions. Physical processes included in the model are inverse bremsstrahlung, resonant absorption, absorption by ion-acoustic fluctuations, and Brillouin backscatter. For the anomalous processes, self-consistent transport coefficients are derived and used throughout the time-dependent, one-dimensional code. Flux limitation is thus taken into account as a result of the physical processes included. Interplay between the various absorption mechanisms and backscatter are uncovered in this study. Comparisons with experiments are presented and suggestions for further experiments are made.