Slowdown mechanisms of ultraintense laser propagation in critical density plasma.
We use one- and two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations to demonstrate that the propagation of an ultraintense laser (I=10(19)W/cm(2)) in critical density plasma can be interfered with by a high density plasma wall region generated at the propagation front. When the electron flow speed of the wall region exceeds a certain relativistic threshold, the region behaves as an overdense plasma due to a decrease of the effective critical density. The region forms then very small overdense plasma islands. The islands impede the propagation intermittently and slow down the propagation speed significantly.
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Yamada-oka 2-1, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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Iwawaki
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Yamada-oka 2-1, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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Habara
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Yamada-oka 2-1, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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Yabuuchi
Department of Physics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan.
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Hata
Fundamental Physics Simulation Division, National Institute of Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu 509-5292, Japan.
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Sakagami
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Yamada-oka 2-1, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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Tanaka