Hostname: page-component-5c6d5d7d68-sv6ng Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-08-14T19:35:35.770Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Generation and transport of fast electrons inside cone targets irradiated by intense laser pulses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2006

TATSUFUMI NAKAMURA ,
HITOSHI SAKAGAMI ,
TOMOYUKI JOHZAKI ,
HIDEO NAGATOMO  and
KUNIOKI MIMA
TATSUFUMI NAKAMURA
Affiliation:
Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
HITOSHI SAKAGAMI
Affiliation:
National Institute for Fusion Science, Osaka, Japan
TOMOYUKI JOHZAKI
Affiliation:
Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
HIDEO NAGATOMO
Affiliation:
Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
KUNIOKI MIMA
Affiliation:
Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Fast electrons are effectively generated from solid targets of cone-geometry by irradiating intense laser pulses, which is applied to fast ignition scheme. For realizing optimal core heating by those electrons, understanding the characteristics of electrons emitted from cone targets is crucial. In this paper, in order to understand the generation and transport processes of hot electrons inside the cone target, two-dimensional (2D) particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations were carried out. It is shown that hot electrons form current layers which are guided by self-generated surface magnetic field, which results in effective energy transfer from laser pulse to hot electrons. When the hot electrons propagate through the steep density gradient at the cone tip, electrostatic field is induced via Weibel instability. As a result, hot electrons are confined inside and emitted gradually from the target, as an electron beam of long duration. Energy spectrum and temporal profile of hot electrons are also evaluated at the rear side of the target, where the profile of rear side plasma is taken from the fluid code and the result is sent to Fokker-Planck code.

Keywords

Cone-geometryElectrostatic fieldFast electronsFast ignitionHot electronsSolid targets
Type
Research Article
Information
Laser and Particle Beams , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , March 2006 , pp. 5 - 8
Copyright
© 2006 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Baiwen, L., Ishiguro, S., Skoric, M.M., Takamaru, H. & Sato, T. (2004). Acceleration of high-quality, well-collimated return beam of relativistic electrons by intense laser pulse in a low-density plasma. Laser Part. Beams 22, 307–314.Google Scholar
Bret, A., Firpo, M.C. & Deutsch, C. (2005). Characterization of the initial filamentation of a relativistic electron beam passing through a plasma. Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 115002.Google Scholar
Chen, H. & Wilks, S.C. (2005). Evidence of enhanced effective hot electron temperatures in ultraintense laser-solid interactions due to reflexing. Laser Part. Beams 22, 411–416.Google Scholar
Deutsch, C. (2004). Penetration of intense charged particle beams in the outer layers of precompressed thermonuclear fuels. Laser Part. Beams 22, 115–120.Google Scholar
Deutsch, C., Bret, A. & Fromy, P. (2005). Mitigation of electromagnetic instabilities in fast ignition scenarios. Laser Part. Beams 23, 5–8.Google Scholar
Haines, M.G. (1986). Magnetic-field generation in laser fusion and hot-electron transport. Can. J. Phys. 64, 912–919.Google Scholar
Kodama, R., Norreys, P.A., Mima, K., Dangor, A.E., Evans, R.G., Fujita, H., Kitagawa, Y., Krushelnick, K., Miyakoshi, T., Miyanaga, N., Norimatsu, T., Rose, S.J., Shozaki, T., Shigemori, K., Sunahara, A., Tampo, M., Tanaka, K.A., Toyama, Y., Yamanaka, Y. & Zepf, M. (2001). Fast heating of ultrahigh-density plasma as a step towards laser fusion ignition. Nature 412, 798–802.Google Scholar
Malka, V. & Fritzler, S. (2004). Electron and proton beams produced by ultra short laser pulses in the relativistic regime. Laser Part. Beams 22, 399–405.Google Scholar
Mulser, P. & Bauer, D. (2004). Fast ignition of fusion pellets with superintense lasers: Concepts, problems, and prospectives. Laser Part. Beams 22, 5–12.Google Scholar
Mulser, P. & Schneider, R. (2004). On the inefficiency of hole boring in fast ignition. Laser Part. Beams 22, 157–162.Google Scholar
Nakamura, T., Kato, S., Nagatomo, H. & Mima, K. (2004). Surface-magnetic-field and fast-electron-layer formation by ultra-intense laser irradiation. Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 265002.Google Scholar
Passoni, M. & Lontano, M. (2004). One-dimensional model of the electrostatic ion acceleration in the ultraintense laser-solid interaction. Laser Part. Beams 22, 163–169.Google Scholar
Pegoraro, F., Atzeni, S., Borghesi, M., Bulanov, S., Esirkepov, T., Honrubia, J., Kato, Y., Khoroshkov, V., Nishihara, K., Tajima, T., Temporal, M. & Willi, O. (2004). Production of ion beams in high-power laser-plasma interactions and their applications. Laser Part. Beams 22, 19–24.Google Scholar
Sakagami, H. & Mima, K. (2004). Interconnection between hydro and PIC codes for fast ignition simulations. Laser Part. Beams 22, 41–44.Google Scholar
Sakagami, H. et al. (2001). Fast Ignition Simulations with Collective PIC Code. pp. 380–383. Paris: Elsevier.
Sakagami, H., Johzaki, T., Nagotomo, H. & Mima, K. (2006). Fast ignition integrated interconnecting code project for cone-guided targets. Laser Part. Beams 24, 191–198.Google Scholar
Sentoku, Y., Mima, K., Kaw, P. & Nishikawa, K. (2003). Anomalous resistively resulting from Mev-electron transport in overdense plasma. Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 155001.Google Scholar
Sentoku, Y., Mima, K., Sheng, Z.M., Kaw, P., Nishihara, K. & Nishikawa, K. (2002). Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of energetic electron generation and transport with relativistic laser pulses in overdense plasmas. Phys. Rev. E 65, 046408.Google Scholar
Sheng, Z.M., Sentoku, Y., Mima, K., Zhang, J., Yu, W. & Meyer-ter-Vehn, J. (2000). Angular distributions of fast electrons, ions, and bremsstrahlung X/gamma-rays in intense laser interaction with solid targets. Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 5340–5343.Google Scholar
Wilks, S.C., Kruer, W.L., Tabak, M. & Langdon, A.B. (1992). Absorption of ultra-intense laser pulses. Phys. Rev. Lett. 69, 1383.Google Scholar
Wilks, S.C. (1993). Simulations of ultraintense laser-plasma interactions. Phys. Fluids B. 5, 2603.Google Scholar