Generation of Superponderomotive Electrons in Multipicosecond Interactions of Kilojoule Laser Beams with Solid-Density Plasmas.

The interaction of a multipicosecond, kilojoule laser pulse with a surface of a solid target has been shown to produce electrons with energies far beyond the free-electron ponderomotive limit m_{e}c^{2}a_{0}^{2}/2. Particle-in-cell simulations indicate that an increase in the pulse duration from 1 to 10 ps leads to the formation of a low-density shelf (about 10% of the critical density). The shelf extends over 100  μm toward the vacuum side, with a nonstationary potential barrier forming in that area.

Enhanced relativistic-electron-beam energy loss in warm dense aluminum.

Energy loss in the transport of a beam of relativistic electrons in warm dense aluminum is measured in the regime of ultrahigh electron beam current density over 2×10^{11}  A/cm^{2} (time averaged). The samples are heated by shock compression. Comparing to undriven cold solid targets, the roles of the different initial resistivity and of the transient resistivity (upon target heating during electron transport) are directly observable in the experimental data, and are reproduced by a comprehensive set of simulations describing the hydrodynamics of the shock compression and electron beam generation and transport.