Simulation of Heating-Compressed Fast-Ignition Cores by Petawatt Laser-Generated Electrons
- 7 February 2005
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review Letters
- Vol. 94 (5), 055001
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.94.055001
Abstract
We report on unique particle-in-cell simulations to understand the relativistic electron beam thermalization and subsequent heating of highly compressed plasmas. The simulations yield heated core parameters in good agreement with the GEKKO-PW experimental measurements, given reasonable assumptions of laser-to-electron coupling efficiency and the distribution function of laser-produced electrons. The classical range of the hot electrons exceeds the mass density-core diameter product by a factor of several. Anomalous stopping appears to be present and is created by the growth and saturation of an electromagnetic filamentation mode that generates a strong back-EMF impeding hot electrons on the injection side of the density maxima.
Keywords
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