title: Opacity of an underdense plasma slab due to the parametric instabilities of an ultraintense laser pulse
abstract: The interaction of ultraintense laser beams with underdense plasma slabs has been investigated with two-dimensional particle-in-cell numerical simulations, showing a strong absorption and a correlatively low transmission. Energetic electrons in the multi-MeV range are produced. At very high intensities the plasma transparency is recovered. These results are interpreted in terms of the development of electron parametric instabilities in the self-consistently heated plasma.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Physique Theorique, CNRS-Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau, France.
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heron
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laval
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mora