Formation of propagating current pulses on extended surfaces under grazing irradiation with relativistically intense ultrashort laser pulses

Interaction of relativistically intense ultrashort laser pulses with an extended surface of flat or curved targets at a grazing angle is studied via numerical particle-in-cell simulations. Processes of electron acceleration and generation of electromagnetic discharge current pulses propagating along the target surface are analyzed. In the case of a flat surface, results of the 3D modeling of the laser interaction are compared with the results of the 2D modeling, where the interaction conditions are assumed to be the same along the transverse z coordinate. The geometry dependence of the discharge pulse propagation in the 3D case is analyzed using a target with an asymmetrical wedge-shaped profile in the transverse cross section.