Electron Dynamics and Characteristics of Attosecond Electromagnetic Emissions in Relativistic Laser-Plasma Interactions

Generation of attosecond electromagnetic(EM) pulses and the associated electron dynamics are studied using particle-in-cell simulations of relativistic laser pulses interacting with over-dense plasma foil targets. The interaction process is found to be so complicated even in the situation of utilizing driving laser pulses of only one cycle. Two electron bunches closely involved in the laser-driven wavebreaking process contribute to attosecond EM pulses through the coherent synchrotron emission process whose spectra are found to follow an exponential decay rule. Detailed investigations of electron dynamics indicate that the early part of the reflected EM emission is the high-harmonics produced through the relativistic oscillating mirror mechanism. High harmonics are also found to be generated through the Bremsstrahlung radiation by one electron bunch that participates in the wavebreaking process and decelerates when it experiences the local wavebreaking-generated high electrostatic field in the moving direction.     

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.