Motion of the plasma critical layer during relativistic-electron laser interaction with immobile and comoving ion plasma for ion accelerationa)
File(s)1.4876616.pdf (9.54 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Sahai, AA
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We analyze the motion of the plasma critical layer by two different processes in the relativistic-electron laser-plasma interaction regime (a0>1)(a0>1). The differences are highlighted when the critical layer ions are stationary in contrast to when they move with it. Controlling the speed of the plasma critical layer in this regime is essential for creating low-β traveling acceleration structures of sufficient laser-excited potential for laser ion accelerators. In Relativistically Induced Transparency Acceleration (RITA) scheme, the heavy plasma-ions are fixed and only trace-density light-ions are accelerated. The relativistic critical layer and the acceleration structure move longitudinally forward by laser inducing transparency through apparent relativistic increase in electron mass. In the Radiation PressureAcceleration (RPA) scheme, the whole plasma is longitudinally pushed forward under the action of the laser radiation pressure, possible only when plasma ions co-propagate with the laser front. In RPA, the acceleration structure velocity critically depends upon plasma-ion mass in addition to the laser intensity and plasma density. In RITA, mass of the heavy immobile plasma-ions does not affect the speed of the critical layer. Inertia of the bared immobile ions in RITA excites the charge separation potential, whereas RPA is not possible when ions are stationary.
Date Issued
2014-05-27
Date Acceptance
2014-04-06
Citation
Physics of Plasmas, 2014, 21 (5)
ISSN
1070-664X
Publisher
AIP Publishing LLC
Journal / Book Title
Physics of Plasmas
Volume
21
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
© 2014 AIP Publishing LLC. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and AIP Publishing. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4876616.
Subjects
physics.plasm-ph
Fluids & Plasmas
0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle And Plasma Physics
0201 Astronomical And Space Sciences
0203 Classical Physics
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
056707