Enhanced Hot Electron Localization and Heating in High-Contrast Ultra-Intense Laser Irradiation of Sharp Micro-Cone Targets

Rassuchine, J.; DHumières, E.; Baton, S. D.; Guillou, P.; Koenig, M.; Fuchs, J.; Audebert, P.; Kodama, R.; Nakatsutsumi, M.; Ozaki, N.; Batani, D.; Morace, A.; Redaelli, R.; Gremillet, L.; Rousseaux, C.; Dorchies, F.; Fourment, C.; Santos, J. J.; Adams, J.; Korgan, G.; Malekos, S.; Hansen, S. B.; Shepherd, R.; Flippo, K.; Gaillard, S.; Sentoku, Y.; Cowan, T. E.

Enhanced Hot Electron Localization and Heating in High-Contrast Ultra-Intense Laser Irradiation of Sharp Micro-Cone Targets

Rassuchine, J.; DHumières, E.; Baton, S. D.; Guillou, P.; Koenig, M.; Fuchs, J.; Audebert, P.; Kodama, R.; Nakatsutsumi, M.; Ozaki, N.; Batani, D.; Morace, A.; Redaelli, R.; Gremillet, L.; Rousseaux, C.; Dorchies, F.; Fourment, C.; Santos, J. J.; Adams, J.; Korgan, G.; Malekos, S.; Hansen, S. B.; Shepherd, R.; Flippo, K.; Gaillard, S.; Sentoku, Y.; Cowan, T. E.

We report experiments demonstrating enhanced coupling efficiencies employing high contrast laser irradiation of nano-fabricated conical targets. Peak temperatures near 200 eV are observed with modest laser energy (10 J), revealing similarities in hot electron localization and material heating to reduced mass targets. Collisional particle-in-cell simulations attribute this enhancement to self-generated resistive magnetic fields forming within the cone wall, which effectively confine the energetic electrons to heat a reduced volume at the cone tip.

Physical Review E 79(2009)3, 036408

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