PIC simulations characterizing the Radiation Response of a Copper Target Excited by an Ultra-Short Laser Pulse.
Abstract
The interaction of an intense, ultrashort-pulse laser with a solid conducting, dielectric, or semi-conducting target leads to dramatic modification of its surface and subsequent emission of electromagnetic (EM) radiation. This radiation may be an interesting probe of the laser-target interaction or useful in its own right. We have used LSP particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations to characterize the low frequency (THz and below) radiation response of copper targets illuminated by single high intensity ultra-short laser pulses with intensities up to 1018 W/cm2. Our simulations treat the material permittivity and reflectivity using a realistic collision model based on the binary collision algorithm. This permits a realistic treatment of the target's dynamically changing electromagnetic response and thermal evolution beginning from a room temperature state, which then establishes the initial conditions for the subsequent current evolution and EM emission.
This work was supported in part by AFRL under award FA9451-19-C-0011.- Publication:
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APS Division of Plasma Physics Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020APS..DPPJ17011K