Tonks-Langmuir problem for a bi-Maxwellian plasma

An analytical solution of the Tonks-Langmuir (TL) problem with a bi-Maxwellian electron energy distribution function (EEDF) is obtained for a plasma slab. The solution shows that the ambipolar potential, the plasma density distribution, and the ion flux to the wall are mainly governed by the cold electrons, while the ionization rate and voltage drop across the wall sheath are governed by the hot electrons. The ionization rate by direct electron impact is found to be spatially rather uniform, contrary to the T-L solution where it is proportional to the plasma density distribution. The temperature of hot electrons defined by the ionization balance is found to be close to that of the T-L solution for a mono-Maxwellian EEDF, and is in reasonable agreement with experiments carried out in a low pressure capacitance RF discharge. The energy balance for cold electrons in this discharge shows that their heating by hot electrons via Coulomb interaction is equalized by the cold electrons' escape to the RF electrodes during collapse of the RF sheath     

Particle in cell simulation of relativistic Buneman instability in a current-carrying plasma

Abstract

Non-linear evolution of the relativistic Buneman instability in a current-carrying plasma is investigated by a particle in cell simulation. These simulations show that as the time progresses, some electrons are trapped in phase space holes and thus counter-streaming and plateau can be formed. Moreover, the electron and ion density profiles indicate a periodic pattern of the density steepening. This density distribution is similar to the generation of the grating-like patterns which strongly depends on the initial electron velocity and saturation time. It is also shown that the electric field profile has the sawtooth form; charged particles can be accelerated by this field. Finally, it is found that increasing the electron velocity increases the saturation time and consequently the growth rate decreases which is in good agreement with the result obtained by the fluid model.     

亚密度冷等离子体的低功率激光吸收特性分析

当电子密度远低于入射小功率激光所对应的临界密度时,冷等离子体对激光的吸收特性与高密度热等离子体将有很大的差别。在亚密度冷等离子体中,电子与中性粒子间的碰撞将占主导地位,对应的频率远大于电子-离子碰撞频率,这使得碰撞吸收本质发生了变化。亚密度等离子体的电子密度和碰撞频率均较小,它在单位长度传输路径内对常用的工作在可见光、红外波段内的小功率激光的碰撞吸收可以忽略不计。但是对于非正常吸收机制的影响尚需深入研究。     

Effect of Discharge Plasma Potential on Diffusion Plasma Parameters Controlled by a Mesh Grid in a Double Plasma Device

The plasma region under investigation is separated from the discharge region by a mesh grid. Plasma potential and electron number densities and electron temperatures under bi‐Maxwellian approximation for electron distribution function of the multi‐dipole argon plasma are measured. The cold electrons in the diffusion region are produced by local ionization. The hot electrons are the ionizing electrons behaving as Maxwellian. The electron trapping process in the discharge region is produced by potential well due to positive plasma potential with respect to the anode and by a repulsive grid. The dependence of ratios of the density of the hot to the cold electrons N_E (=N_eh/N_ec) and hot to cold electron temperature T(=T_eh/T_ec) in the diffusion region on the depth of the potential well has been investigated. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Cold electrons acceleration in TNSA laser-generated plasma using a low-contrast fs laser

The fs laser facility in Bordeaux, delivering an intensity of 10¹⁸ W/cm² at normal incidence on thin foils, has been used to induce forward electron and ion acceleration in target-normal-sheath-acceleration (TNSA) regime. Micrometric thin foils with different composition, thickness, and electron density, were prepared to promote the charge particle acceleration in the forward direction. The plasma electron and ion emission monitoring were performed on-line using SiC semiconductor detectors in time-of-flight (TOF) configuration and gaf-chromics films both covered by thin absorber filters. The experiment has permitted to accelerate electrons and protons. A special attention was placed to detect relativistic hot electrons escaping from the plasma and cold electrons returning to the target position. The electron energies of the order of 100 keV and of about 1 keV were detected as representative of hot and cold electrons, respectively. A high cold electron contribution was measured using low-contrast fs laser, while it is less evident using high-contrast fs lasers. The charge particle acceleration depends on the laser parameters, irradiation conditions, and target properties, as will be presented and discussed.     

Effects of Energetic Electrons on Collector and Source Potentials in a Finite Ion Temperature Plasma

Formation of the potential in a two-electron-temperature plasma region facing a floating collector was studied theoretically with a kinetic plasma-sheath model and by electrostatic particle simulation. The electrons were described by truncated full Maxwellian velocity distribution functions and the ions by an accelerated half-Maxwellian velocity distribution function. The collector potential and the plasma source sheath or presheath potential drop were evaluated as functions of the hot to cool electron temperature ratio and the hot electron density ratio using Vlasov and Poison equations. The results showed that the presheath potential drop varied continuously with electron composition ratio for lower values of the electron temperature ratio, while for higher values in a narrow composition ratio range, triple values of the potential were found. Of the two physically acceptable values, the lower was characterized by the cool electrons and the higher by the hot electrons. It is anticipated that a current-free double layer structure is formed in the plasma system between these two potential regions. The collector floating potential, as a function of electron composition ratio, is mainly dominated by the hot electrons, since already a small value of hot electron current is sufficient to compensate the ion saturation current. In order to complete the theoretical investigation we also study the hydrogen plasma system with the XPDP1 particule-in-cell simulation code composed at Berkeley. At certain plasma parameter values formation of a double layer structure was observed. The potential Values on the upper and lower side of the double layer, as well as that of the collector floating potential, corresponded very well to the calculated values. On the upper side the plasma was composed of ions, accelerated through the source sheath potential drop, and electrons consisting of cool full Maxwellian and hot truncated full Maxwellian populations. On the lower side only hot electrons and ions additionally accelerated through the double layer were found.     

Effect on Landau damping rates for non-Maxwellian distribution function consisting of two electron populations

In many physical situations where a laser or electron beam passes through a dense plasma, hot low-density electron populations can be generated, resulting in a particle distribution function consisting of a dense cold population and a small hot population. Presence of such low-density electron distributions can alter the wave damping rate. Kinetic model is employed to study the Landau damping of Langmuir waves when a small hot electron population is present in the dense cold electron population with non-Maxwellian distribution functions. Departure of plasma from Maxwellian distributions significantly alters the damping rates as compared to the Maxwellian plasma. Strong damping is found for highly non-Maxwellian distributions as well as plasmas with higher dense and hot electron population. Existence of weak damping is also established when the distribution contains broadened flat tops at the low energies or tends to be Maxwellian. These results may be applied in both experimental and space physics regimes.     

Effect on Landau damping rates for a non-Maxwellian distribution function consisting of two electron populations

In many physical situations where a laser or electron beam passes through a dense plasma,hot low-density electron populations can be generated,resulting in a particle distribution function consisting of a dense cold population and a small hot population.Presence of such low-density electron distributions can alter the wave damping rate.A kinetic model is employed to study the Landau damping of Langmuir waves when a small hot electron population is present in the dense cold electron population with non-Maxwellian distribution functions.Departure of plasma from Maxwellian distributions significantly alters the damping rates as compared to the Maxwellian plasma.Strong damping is found for highly nonMaxwellian distributions as well as plasmas with a higher density and hot electron population.Existence of weak damping is also established when the distribution contains broadened flat tops at the low energies or tends to be Maxwellian.These results may be applied in both experimental and space physics regimes.     

激光等离子体中高能电子各向异性压强的粒子模拟

直接驱动惯性约束聚变(ICF)的实现需要对靶丸进行严格的对称压缩,以达到自持热核反应(点火)所需的条件.快点火方案的应用降低了对靶丸压缩对称性以及驱动能量的要求,但压缩及核反应过程中良好的靶丸对称性无疑有助于核反应增益的提高.本文研究了快点火方案中高能电子注入高密等离子体后导致的各向异性电子的压强张量.这一现象存在于ICF快点火方案中的高能电子束"点火"及核反应阶段.鉴于高能电子加热离子过程以及靶丸核反应自持燃烧过程的时间较长,高密靶核会由于超高的各向异性压强的作用破坏高密靶丸的对称性,降低核燃料密度,进而降低了核燃料燃烧效率以及核反应增益.     

激光功率密度对Al膜靶后表面快电子发射的影响

 报道了在20 TW皮秒激光器上完成的p偏振激光与等离子体相互作用过程中产生的快电子的角分布和能谱测量结果。实验得到：当激光功率密度小于10¹⁷ W/cm²时,电子发射没有明显定向性,在激光入射面内多峰发射;当激光功率密度大于10¹⁷ W/cm2,小于10¹⁸ W/cm²时,电子主要沿靶面法线方向发射;当激光功率密度达到相对论强度时,电子主要沿激光传播方向发射;激光功率密度未达到相对论强度时,靶后表面法线方向快电子能谱拟合平均温度符合共振吸收温度定标率;激光功率密度达相对论强度以上时,靶后表面法线方向快电子能谱拟合平均温度高于已有的温度定标率。     

Fluid Model of a Sheath Formed in Front of an Electron Emitting Electrode Immersed in a Plasma with Two Electron Temperatures

The formation of a sheath in front of a negatively biased electrode (collector) that emits electrons is studied by a one‐dimensional fluid model. Electron and ion emission coefficients are introduced in the model. It is assumed that the electrode is immersed in a plasma that contains energetic electrons. The electron velocity distribution function is assumed to be a sum of two Maxwellian distributions with two different temperatures, while the ions and the emitted electrons are assumed to be monoenergetic. The condition for zero electric field at the collector is derived. Using this equation the dependence of electron and ion critical emission coefficients on various parameters ‐ like the ratio between the hot and cool electron density, the ratio between hot and cool electron temperature and the initial velocity of secondary electrons ‐ is calculated for a floating collector. A modification of the Bohm criterion due to the presence of hot and emitted electrons is also given. The transition between space charge limited and temperature limited electron emission for a current‐carrying collector is also analyzed. The critical potential, where this transition occurs, is calculated as a function of several parameters like the Richardson emission current, the ratio between the hot and cool electron density, the ratio between hot and cool electron temperature and the initial velocity of secondary electrons. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Dispersion properties of electron acoustic waves in degenerate and non‐degenerate quantum plasmas

The longitudinal response functions are used to generalize the dispersion properties of electron acoustic waves (EAWs) in the presence of quantum recoil, for isotropic, non‐relativistic, degenerate/non‐degenerate plasmas. In order to study the EAWs, the constituents of non‐degenerate (thermal) plasma are considered to be of two groups of electrons having different number density and temperature, namely the cold electrons and the hot electrons. Similarly in degenerate (Fermi) plasma the two population of electrons are considered to be the thinly populated and the thickly populated electrons. The sparsely populated electrons are termed as cold electrons while the densely populated ones are termed as hot electrons. The ions are stationary which form the neutralizing background. The absorption coefficients for Landau damping with the inclusion of the quantum recoil in both plasmas are calculated and discussed. The results are discussed in the context of laser‐produced plasma.     

超热电子的产生与输运背向辐射的实验研究

报道了在100TW fs激光器上采用电子磁谱仪和光学CCD积分成像相机分别对激光-固体靶相互作用在靶背方向产生的超热电子能谱及其光学渡越辐射进行的测量。能谱测量结果显示：超热电子能谱呈单温类-麦克斯韦分布,拟合的温度为107keV;光学渡越辐射(OTR)测量结果显示：OTR是由于超热电子输运穿越固体靶所致,而辐射区域呈圆盘状、有发散角、有光强分布;如果考虑超热电子的产生和加热机制,则占主导地位的加热机制是共振吸收对电子的加热。     

Generation of energetic electrons and ions by interaction of relativistic laser pulses with a supercritical plasma

Generation of hot electrons and fast ions under the action of a relativistic femtosecond laser pulse propagating through a supercritical-density plasma is studied in terms of the kinetic theory by constructing propagators for plasma particle distribution functions. Calculations are carried out for different laser pulse intensities, different sorts of multicharged ions, and different degrees of plasma inhomogeneity. Mechanisms of electron and ion acceleration in the plasma are explored.     

简单磁镜中热电子等离子体的基本特性

本文叙述了简单磁镜中,热电子等离子体的实验结果。微波在基频共振层击穿气体产生等离子体,二次偕振加热产生热电子环。等离子体激发了低频交换模和漂移波,热电子环对等离子体的扰动有稳定作用。     

Magnetic field-aligned plasma expansion in critical ionizationvelocity space experiments

The temporal evolution of a plasma cloud released in an ambient plasma is studied. Time-dependent Vlasov equations for both electrons and ions, as well as the self-consistent electric field parallel to the ambient magnetic field, are solved. The initial cloud is considered to consist of cold, warm, and hot electrons with temperatures of approximately 0.2 eV, 2 eV, and 10 eV, respectively. It is found that the minor hot electrons escape the cloud; their velocity distribution function shows the typical time-of-flight dispersion feature, i.e. the average drift velocity of the escaping electrons is proportional to the distance from the cloud. The major warm electrons expand along the magnetic field lines with the corresponding ion-acoustic speed. The combined effect of the escaping hot electrons and the expanding warm ones sets up an electric potential structure that accelerates the ambient electrons into the cloud. Thus, the energy loss due to the electron escape is partly replenished. The electric field distribution in the potential structure depends on the stage of the evolution; before the rarefaction waves propagating from the edges of the cloud reach its center, the electric fields point into the cloud. After this stage the cloud divides into two subclouds, each having its own bipolar electric field. The effects of collisions on the evolution of plasma clouds are also discussed. The relevance of the results seen from the calculations are discussed in the context of space experiments on critical ionization velocity     

超强飞秒激光与固体靶产生的超热电子加热机制

 在SILEX-1激光器上测量了超强飞秒激光与Ta靶相互作用产生的出射超热电子能谱及角分布，研究了出射超热电子加热机制。激光脉宽为 30 fs，激光功率密度为8.5×10¹⁸ W/cm²。靶前法线方向超热电子温度为550 keV。从实验结果可知：共振吸收是靶前法线方向超热电子主要加热机制，这与靶前存在大密度标长预等离子体的实验条件吻合。靶厚为6～50 μm时，靶后超热电子沿法线方向出射；靶厚为2 mm时，该发射峰消失。     

Effects of Trapped Ions on the Nonlinear Propagation of Modified Electron Acoustic Waves

Effects of trapped ions on the nonlinear propagation of modified electron acoustic waves in an unmagnetized plasma consisting of one cold and one hot components of electrons and one single species of hot ions, have been investigated in this paper. It has been shown that while rarefactive soliton solution exists in such a plasma, no double layer solution has been found to exist. The potential, velocity and width of the soliton have been calculated.     

Formation and dynamics of relativistic electromagnetic solitons in plasmas containing high-and low-energy electron components

We present theoretical and numerical studies of the nonlinear interactions between intense electromagnetic waves in plasmas containing high-and low-energy electron components. Such plasmas are frequently observed in laser-plasma experiments, where the hot electron component is created by the acceleration of electrons by strong electrostatic waves that are created by the laser-induced Raman forward and backward instabilities. The two-component electron plasma is described by the Vlasov equation for the hot electrons and the hydrodynamic equations for the cold electrons, which are coupled nonlinearly to the electromagnetic wave equation and the Poisson equation for the potential. The present nonlinear system is shown to admit electromagnetic solitary waves correlated with a positive potential and trapped electron islands from the hot electron population. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

超热电子的产生与输运背向辐射的实验研究

报道了在100TW fs激光器上采用电子磁谱仪和光学CCD积分成像相机分别对激光-固体靶相互作用在靶背方向产生的超热电子能谱及其光学渡越辐射进行的测量.能谱测量结果显示:超热电子能谱呈单温类-麦克斯韦分布,拟合的温度为107 keV;光学渡越辐射(OTR)测量结果显示:OTR是由于超热电子输运穿越固体靶所致,而辐射区域呈圆盘状、有发散角、有光强分布;如果考虑超热电子的产生和加热机制,则占主导地位的加热机制是共振吸收对电子的加热.