Dynamics of the Electromagnetic Fields Induced by Fast Electron Propagation in Near-Solid-Density Media

L. Romagnani, A. P. L. Robinson, R. J. Clarke, D. Doria, L. Lancia, W. Nazarov, M. M. Notley, A. Pipahl, K. Quinn, B. Ramakrishna, P. A. Wilson, J. Fuchs, O. Willi, and M. Borghesi
Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 025001 – Published 14 January 2019

Abstract

The propagation of fast electron currents in near solid-density media was investigated via proton probing. Fast currents were generated inside dielectric foams via irradiation with a short (0.6ps) laser pulse focused at relativistic intensities (Iλ24×1019Wcm2μm2). Proton probing provided a spatially and temporally resolved characterization of the evolution of the electromagnetic fields and of the associated net currents directly inside the target. The progressive growth of beam filamentation was temporally resolved and information on the divergence of the fast electron beam was obtained. Hybrid simulations of electron propagation in dense media indicate that resistive effects provide a major contribution to field generation and explain well the topology, magnitude, and temporal growth of the fields observed in the experiment. Estimations of the growth rates for different types of instabilities pinpoints the resistive instability as the most likely dominant mechanism of beam filamentation.

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  • Received 8 June 2017
  • Revised 1 October 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.025001

© 2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Plasma Physics

Authors & Affiliations

L. Romagnani1,2,*, A. P. L. Robinson3, R. J. Clarke3, D. Doria4,2, L. Lancia1, W. Nazarov5, M. M. Notley3, A. Pipahl6, K. Quinn2, B. Ramakrishna7, P. A. Wilson8,9, J. Fuchs1, O. Willi6, and M. Borghesi2

  • 1LULI—CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91128 Palaiseau cedex, France
  • 2Centre for Plasma Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, The Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
  • 3Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
  • 4Extreme Light Infrastructure—Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP), Horia Hulubei Institute for Nuclear Physics (IFIN-HH), Reactorului Str., 30, Magurele 077126, Bucharest, Romania
  • 5School of Chemistry, University of St. Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9ST, United Kingdom
  • 6Institut für Laser-und Plasmaphysik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany
  • 7Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad 502285, India
  • 8School of Engineering, University of South Australia, Adelaide SA 5095, Australia
  • 9Department of Medical Physics, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia

  • *lorenzo.romagnani@polytechnique.edu

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Issue

Vol. 122, Iss. 2 — 18 January 2019

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