Azimuthal asymmetry in collective electron dynamics in relativistically transparent laser-foil interactions

Ross Gray, David MacLellan, Bruno Izquierdo, Haydn Powell, David Carroll, C.D. Murphy, L.C. Stockhausen, Dean Rusby, G. Scott, R. Wilson, Nicola Booth, Dan Symes, S. Hawkes, R Torres, M. Borghesi, Paul McKenna

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Abstract

Asymmetry in the collective dynamics of ponderomotively-driven electrons in the interaction of an ultraintense laser pulse with a relativistically transparent target is demonstrated experimentally. The 2D prole of the beam of accelerated electrons is shown to change from an ellipse aligned along the laser polarisation direction in the case of limited transparency, to a double-lobe structure aligned perpendicular to it when a significant fraction of the laser pulse co-propagates with the electrons. The temporally-resolved dynamics of the interaction are investigated via particle-in-cell simulations. The results provide new insight into the collective response of charged particles to intense laser fields over an extended interaction volume, which is important for a wide range of applications, and in particular for the development of promising new ultraintense laser-driven ion acceleration mechanisms involving ultrathin target foils.
Original languageEnglish
Article number093027
Number of pages11
JournalNew Journal of Physics
Volume16
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 23 Sept 2014

Keywords

  • laser-plasma interaction
  • ion acceleration
  • charged particle dynamics

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