Particle-in-cell (PIC) methods have a long history in the study of laser-plasma interactions. Early electromagnetic codes used the Yee staggered grid for field variables combined with a leapfrog EM-field update and the Boris algorithm for particle pushing. The general properties of such schemes are well documented. Modern PIC codes tend to add to these high-order shape functions for particles, Poisson preserving field updates, collisions, ionisation, a hybrid scheme for solid density and high-field QED effects. In addition to these physics packages, the increase in computing power now allows simulations with real mass ratios, full 3D dynamics and multi-speckle interaction. This paper presents a review of the core algorithms used in current laser-plasma specific PIC codes. Also reported are estimates of self-heating rates, convergence of collisional routines and test of ionisation models which are not readily available elsewhere. Having reviewed the status of PIC algorithms we present a summary of recent applications of such codes in laser-plasma physics, concentrating on SRS, short-pulse laser-solid interactions, fast-electron transport, and QED effects.
Measurements of magnetic fields generated during ultrahigh intensity (>1019 W cm−2), short pulse (0.7–1 ps) laser–solid target interaction experiments are reported. An innovative method is used and the results are compared with particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that polarization measurements of the self-generated harmonics of the laser can provide a convenient method for diagnosing the magnetic field—and that the experimental measurements indicate the existence of peak fields greater than 340 MG and below 460 MG at such high intensities. In particular, the observation of the X-wave cutoffs and the observed induced ellipticity of the harmonics can provide a reliable method for measuring these fields. These observations are important for evaluating the use of intense lasers in various potential applications and perhaps for understanding the complex physics of exotic astrophysical objects such as neutron stars.
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