Laser-driven hole boring and gamma-ray emission in high-density plasmas. (16th February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nerush, E N; Kostyukov, I Y
• Is Part Of: Plasma physics and controlled fusion. Volume 57:Number 3(2015:Mar.)
• Publication Date: 2015-02-16
• Subjects: laser-driven hole boring -- gamma-ray emission -- radiation losses -- radiation pressure acceleration; Plasma (Ionized gases) -- Periodicals; Controlled fusion -- Periodicals; 530.44
• DOI: 10.1088/0741-3335/57/3/035007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0741-3335

Abstract

Abstract: Ion acceleration in laser-produced dense plasmas is a key topic of many recent investigations thanks to its potential applications. Indeed, at forthcoming laser intensities ( I ≳ 10 23 W cm −2 ) interaction of laser pulses with plasmas can be accompanied by copious gamma-ray emission. Here we demonstrate the mutual influence of gamma-ray emission and ion acceleration during relativistic hole boring in high-density plasmas with ultra-intense laser pulses. If the gamma-ray emission is abundant, laser pulse reflection and hole-boring velocity are lower and gamma-ray radiation pattern is narrower than in the case of low emission. Conservation of energy and momentum allows one to elucidate the effects of the gamma-ray emission which are more pronounced at higher hole-boring velocities.