2001/08/29 by H. Rühl, H. Ruhl, Ruhl, H.
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Computational Physics (physics.comp-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma #Metal and Thin Film Mechanics #Plasma Diagnostics and Applications #Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph) #physics.comp-ph #physics.plasm-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.physics/0108060
4 pages, 4 figures
arxiv created 2001/08/29 · openalex publication_date 2001/08/29 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A three dimensional Particle-In-Cell simulation describing the interaction of an intense laser beam with a plasma slab is presented. It is observed that the laser generated electron current decays into magnetically isolated filaments. The filaments grow in scale and magnitude by a merging process in the course of which the field topology changes. The opposite process also takes place occasionally. The laser driven charge and energy flows and the reconnecting magnetic field mutually interact. At the end of the merging process flows and fields are confined close to the laser irradiated surface of the plasma slab. Both decay rapidly in the bulk plasma. Due to the magnetic pressure in the filaments hollow density channels in the electron and ion densities are formed. The simulation reveals that charge flows in these channels can exceed the Alfven current.