Multi-keV Electron Generation in the Interaction of Intense Laser Pulses with Xe Clusters

Y. L. Shao; T. Ditmire; J. W. G. Tisch; E. Springate; J. P. Marangos; M. H. R. Hutchinson

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.77.3343

Multi-keV Electron Generation in the Interaction of Intense Laser Pulses with Xe Clusters

Y. L. Shao, T. Ditmire, J. W. G. Tisch, E. Springate, J. P. Marangos, and M. H. R. Hutchinson

Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 3343 – Published 14 October 1996

Abstract

We have observed the production of multi-keV electrons through the irradiation of Xe clusters by an intense, near infrared, femtosecond laser pulse. We find the electron kinetic energy distribution consists of two features, a “warm” peak of between 0.1 and 1 keV and a “hot” peak of energy between 2 and 3 keV. These measurements are consistent with a picture of rapid electron collisional heating in the cluster and exhibit good agreement with numerical modeling of the electron energy distribution.