Dynamics and control of the expansion of finite-size plasmas produced in ultraintense laser-matter interactions

Abstract

The strong influence of the electron dynamics provides the possibility of controlling the expansion of laser-produced plasmas by appropriately shaping the laser pulse. A simple irradiation scheme is proposed to tailor the explosion of large deuterium clusters, inducing the formation of shock structures, capable of driving nuclear fusion reactions. Such a scenario has been thoroughly investigated, resorting to two-and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. Furthermore, the intricate dynamics of ions and electrons during the collisionless expansion of spherical nanoplasmas has been analyzed in detail using a self-consistent ergodic-kinetic model. This study clarifies the transition from hydrodynamic-like to Coulomb-explosion regimes.

Dense Xenon Nanoplasmas in Intense Laser Fields

“…A further optimization is possible by pulse shaping which is a modern tool in laser experiments [2,6,7]. With pulse shaping, the dynamics of the system determined by heating, ionization and expansion can be specifically affected.…”

Light wave driven electron dynamics in clusters

“…To some extent, microscopic interactions can be reintroduced in the form of Monte-Carlo binary collisions between plasma particles [28,29]. However, those "collisional" PIC codes remain bound to the weakly coupled regime, where microfield fluctuations are negligible and microscopic interactions are limited to small-angle binary collisions [30][31][32][33].…”

Control of Ionization in the Interaction of Strong Laser Fields with Dense Nanoplasmas

“…A further optimization is possible by pulse shaping [6,7] which specifically affects the dynamics of the system determined by heating, ionization and expansion. In optimal control experiments, the yield of highly charged ions has been maximized by applying an evolutionary algorithm scheme within a feedback loop.…”