Interaction of an atom with superstrong laser fields

A theory of atomic interaction with a superstrong laser field has been developed. The specific feature of the suggested theory is that its small parameter is the interaction between the atom and the solenoidal part of the external field, whereas its interaction with the potential part is accurately taken into account. It follows from the reported investigation that, in calculating the interaction of atoms with superstrong fields, one must abandon calculations of multipole moments of transitions between unperturbed atomic levels, and calculate instead the atomic response, which comprises multipole moments of all orders and depends on the instantaneous field magnitude. The results are compared with calculations based on the perturbation theory in terms of the interaction Hamiltonian. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 793–806 (September 1999)     

Formation and dynamics of a plasma in superstrong laser fields including radiative and quantum electrodynamics effects

Studies of phenomena accompanying the interaction of superstrong electromagnetic fields with matter, in particular, the generation of an electron–positron plasma, acceleration of electrons and ions, and the generation of hard electromagnetic radiation are briefly reviewed. The possibility of using thin films to initiate quantum electrodynamics cascades in the field of converging laser pulses is analyzed. A model is developed to describe the formation of a plasma cavity behind a laser pulse in the transversely inhomogeneous plasma and the generation of betatron radiation by electrons accelerated in this cavity. Features of the generation of gamma radiation, as well as the effect of quantum electrodynamics effects on the acceleration of ions, at the interaction of intense laser pulses with solid targets are studied.     

Many-electron dynamics of a Xe atom in strong and superstrong laser fields

We report on detailed investigations of ionization dynamics of a Xe atom exposed to intense 800-nm pulses of 20-fs duration in the extensive intensity range from 10(13)-10(18) W/cm(2). Ion yields of Xe+-Xe20+ were observed as a function of laser intensity and compared with the results from a single active electron based Ammosov-Delone-Krainov model. Unexpected ionization probabilities for lower charge states and no interplay between the inner and outer shells by screening are inferred. Suppression of nonsequential ionization towards higher intensity and few optical cycle regimes is also proved.     

Creation of electron-positron plasma with superstrong laser field

We present a short review of recent progress in studying QED effects within the interaction of ultra-relativistic laser pulses with vacuum and e ^? e ⁺ plasma. Current development in laser technologies promises very rapid growth of laser intensities in the near future. Two exawatt class facilities (ELI and XCELS, Russia) in Europe are already in the planning stage. Realization of these projects will make available a laser intensity of ～ 10²⁶?W/cm² or even higher. Therefore, discussion of nonlinear optical effects in vacuum are becoming compelling for experimentalists and are currently gaining much attention. We show that, in spite of the fact that the expected field strength is still essentially less than E _S = m ² c ³/e? = 1.32 · 10¹⁶?V/cm, the nonlinear vacuum effects will be accessible for observation at the ELI and XCELS facilities. The most promissory effect for observation is pair creation by a laser pulse in vacuum. It is shown, that at intensities ～ 5 · 10²⁵?W/cm², creation even of a single pair is accompanied by the development of an avalanche QED cascade. There exists a distinctive feature of the laser-induced cascades, as compared with the air showers arising due primarily to cosmic rays entering the atmosphere. In our case the laser field plays not only the role of a target (similar to a nucleus in the case of air showers) but is also responsible for the acceleration of slow particles. It is shown that the effect of pair creation imposes a natural limit for the attainable laser intensity and, apparently, the field strength E ～ E _S is not accessible for a pair-creating electromagnetic field at all.     

Experimental study of nuclear processes in the presence of superstrong fields of a picosecond laser plasma

Nuclear processes in the presence of the superstrong laser fields of a picosecond laser plasma are experimentally studied at a radiation intensity of 2 × 10¹⁸ W/cm² on a Neodim laser setup with a power of 10 TW. Experimental data regarding neutron generation on the surface of a deuterated target (CD₂)_n owing to the thermonuclear fusion ²H(d,n)³He and the neutron generation on the Be target due to the photonuclear reaction ⁹Be(γ,n)2α are presented. Neutron yields Y _n of 10⁶ and 10³ per 4π sr per laser pulse are obtained for the (CD₂)_n and Be targets, respectively. The alpha-particle yield is measured for the first time in the neutron-free thermonuclear reactions ¹¹B + H → 3⁴He in the laser plasma on the surface of the composite B + (CH₂)_n targets. The alpha-particle yield is 10³ per 4π sr per laser pulse.     

Interaction/laser radiation with matter filamentation of laser pulses with different wavelengths in air

Propagation in the air of laser radiation with wavelengths in the range from 248 to 1240 nm are investigated numerically. It was shown that the intensity in a filament weakly depends on the wavelength in a long-wave region and decreases significantly in the UV region. Electron concentration in a plasma channel increases with a wavelength decrease with a dependence close to quadratic. With an increase in the wavelength characteristic scale of the intensity variation in the pulse cross section, the radii of the filament and plasma channel increase.     

The Rydberg matter laser: excitation, delays and mode effects in the laser cavity medium

Temporal and temperature effects are studied in Rydberg matter (RM) formed from K atoms and N₂ molecules as the active medium in a cavity. The function of this setup as a laser was recently described. Temperature-variation studies show that the photons re-exciting the RM clusters usually have a longer wavelength than the photons emitted in the stimulated emission process in the cavity. The deficit is probably covered by background photons. Very long time constants observed after emitter temperature changes indicate that long-wavelength photon energy is accumulated in the RM clusters. Long-wavelength modes are located farther from the RM emitter. The modal structure can be TEM₀₁ or TEM₀₀, as observed clearly by the spatial structure in rapid pulsing experiments. The in-cavity chopped beam signal is delayed by approximately 50 μs. The initial growth rate of the signal during chopping is temperature dependent. Tailing is also observed by chopping, but rapid pulsing of the beam with a spinning mirror does not show any delay of the start of the lasing. The conclusion is that delays exist in the stimulated emission process. The broad intense band appearing at 11 000 nm is shown to be formed partly by light in the range 3500–5000 nm, probably by standing wave interaction at the grating surface (grating bands).     

Interaction between laser beam and target in pulsed laser deposition: laser fluence and ambient gas effects

The most prominent phenomena on the target surface induced by laser irradiation in pulsed laser deposition is the formation of conical morphologies in the irradiated area. The conical morphologies formed under different laser fluences and the ambient oxygen pressures in KrF laser ablation of Pb(Zr_0.53Ti_0.47)O₃ were studied in detail by using scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that, depending on the melting extent of the irradiated surface, there are two kinds of cones: one type with well-defined cone tip and cone body and the other having only a cone tip. Pb is very deficient in cone tip. The gas ambient pressure plays a remarkable role in the laser-target interaction. These results are interpreted by employing the impurity shielding mechanism and the surface instability mechanism.     

Generation of harmonics during the interaction of ultrashort superstrong laser pulses with solid targets

Generation of even and odd harmonics in the skin layer formed during the interaction of a short relativistic laser pulse with solid targets is considered. The complex motion of free electrons in the skin layer along the electric field vector and along the direction of propagation of a laser wave is analyzed. The Fourier expansion of the trajectory of this motion is used to obtain the components of the conductivity tensor and of the amplitude of the transverse electromagnetic field of harmonics propagating along the electric field. Even harmonics appear due to relativistic effects. The efficiency of generation of even and odd harmonics at the leading front of a laser pulse is calculated.     

Interaction of polarized fields with A resonant medium of NH3 laser

A numerical model of optically pumped FIR laser for arbitrary field polarizations is discussed. A restricted set of linear equations is proposed. Calculated spectra for NH₃ laser pumped by CO₂ laser are presented. The validity and limitations of the model are considered.     

Hydrodynamical description of theories of gauge fields interacting with matter fields

The full set of gauge-invariants is found for various gauge-fields interacting with matter fields (Higgs-fields). Both the dynamics and the canonical structure of the field are expressed in terms of invariants. Discrete invariants (like vortexes and monopoles) are discussed.     

Quantum fields and poisson processes II: Interaction of boson-boson and boson-fermion fields with a cut-off

Quantum field evolutions are written as expectation values with respect to Poisson processes in two simple models: interaction of two boson fields (with conservation of the number of particles in one field) and interaction of a boson with a fermion field. The introduction of a cut-off ensures that the expectation values are well-defined.     

Nuclear matter calculations with mean scalar fields

We examine the possibility that nuclear-matter binding energy comes from the coupling of nucleons to a mean scalar field; vector fields are simulated by Yukawa potentials. It is found that the mean Schwinger σ field cannot explain the normal nuclear-matter saturation for any values of the coupling constants, while a simple scalar field with only quadratic terms is permitted.