Abstract
The absorption of subpicosecond, obliquely incident laser light is studied using a 11/2D particle-in-cell code. Density scale lengths from L/λ=0.01 to 2 and laser irradiances between I= and W μ are considered. ‘‘Vacuum heating’’ [F. Brunel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 59, 52 (1987)] dominates over resonance absorption for scale lengths L/λ<0.1, and is most efficient when /c≃3.1(L/λ. Absorbed energy is carried mainly by a ‘‘superhot’’ electron population with ∼(I.
- Received 2 July 1991
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.68.1535
©1992 American Physical Society