Nonlinear electron heating in ultrahigh-intensity-laser–plasma interaction
- 1 January 1997
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review E
- Vol. 55 (1) , 1011-1014
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.55.1011
Abstract
The interaction of an ultraintense laser pulse with an overcritical collisionless plasma at normal incidence is investigated with 1.5 dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. Laser absorption and hot electron energy are reported for a large range of intensities and plasma densities. We observe a strong dependence of the electron temperature on the plasma density profile, and a transition between two different heating mechanisms when the gradient length is varied. For sharp edged profiles, the electron temperature is well below the laser ponderomotive potential.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- J×B heating by very intense laser lightPhysics of Fluids, 1985