Absorption of ultra-intense laser pulses

TLDR

Ultra‑intense laser pulses (>10^18 W cm^−2) exert >10^3 Mbar pressure, driving relativistic plasma dynamics and enabling hole‑boring. The study uses simulations to investigate how ultra‑intense laser pulses interact with plasma. Simulations model the laser–plasma interaction. The simulations show substantial absorption into hot electrons (~ponderomotive temperature), with absorption depending on polarization, generating strong magnetic fields and intense instabilities in underdense plasma.

Abstract

We use simulations to investigate the interaction of ultra-intense laser pulses with a plasma. With an intensity greater than ${10}^{18}$ W/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, these pulses have a pressure greater than ${10}^{3}$ M bar and drive the plasma relativistically. Hole boring by the light beam is a key feature of the interaction. We find substantial absorption into heated electrons with a characteristic temperature of order the pondermotive potential. Other effects include a dependence on the polarization of the incident light, strong magnetic field generation, and a period of intense instability generation in the underdense plasma.