Measurement of field generation at plasma interfaces due to fast electron beam currents from high-intensity laser–plasma interactions
The OMEGA EP laser at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics was used to investigate high-power, relativistically intense laser interactions with near-critical density plasmas produced using low-density CH foam targets. A proton probe beam diagnostic, sensitive to the quasi-static electric and magnetic fields in the target, measured plasma-generated field structures along the foam interface with an aluminum target holder. Many discrete field structure sites were observed, suggesting filamentation of the electron beam during propagation through the plasma and magnetic field generation enhancement at plasma interfaces. Particle-in-cell simulations of the interaction were also performed, showing similar effects.
Authors
- C. Zulick (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3271-5794)
- P. M. Nilson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9016-8055)
- C. Stöeckl (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5375-5800)
- A. Maksimchuk (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3287-7432)
- T. C. Sangster (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4040-2672)
- K. Krushelnick (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9116-9511)
- L. Willingale (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4304-0339)
- Alexander G. R. Thomas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3206-8512)
- W. Nazarov
Institutions
- University of St Andrews (GB)
- University of Michigan (US)
- Michigan United (US)
- Energetics (United States) (US)
- Optical Sciences (United States) (US)
- University of Rochester (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Physics of Plasmas
- Published
- 2025-07-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0245532
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.87
Funders
- U.S. Department of Energy