Strong field physics pursued with petawatt lasers

Abstract

Recent ultra-short high-power lasers can provide ultra-high laser intensity over 1022 W/cm2. Laser fields of such extreme strengths instantaneously turn matter into plasma, which exhibits relativistic collective dynamics, thereby leading to unprecedented physical systems with potential breakthrough applications. In this article, we introduce the basic concepts and trace the progress in ultra-high intensity laser development and relativistic laser-plasma interactions, including laser-driven charged particle acceleration.

Demonstration of Shape Analysis of Neutron Resonance Transmission Spectrum Measured with a Laser-driven Neutron Source

“…A diode laser excitation method will enhance the repetition rate and reduce the size of the laser system. PW-class lasers with 1-10Hz repetition rates are being developed [39][40][41][42][43] . The advancement of laser power density should increase neutron flux per laser shot.…”

Advanced Diagnostics of Electrons Escaping from Laser-Produced Plasma

“…A laser beam, propagating through a plasma, pushes electrons away from the axis of the laser beam, creating a space charge in the background of nearly stationary ions. If the laser pulse is sufficiently long, a stationary state is reached wherein the Coulomb force due to the charge separation balances the ponderomotive force on electrons, and a plasma channel is formed [1]. As shown in Figure 3, these conditions are relevant only in the first period of the target polarisation, when the laser pulse heats the target and produces plasma.…”

“…Since this difference was also observed in experiments with a 5 mm thick Cu target [54], it is obvious that the escape of hot electrons from the plasma detected by magnetic spectrometers does not cause the generation of a positive charge on the target. This suggests that the charging of the target during the interaction with the pico-nanosecond laser pulse and the subsequent process of balancing it with the return current is a more complex process than in the case of the ideal ultrashort laser interaction [1,17,38], and therefore, further experiments focusing on electrons emitted with energy less than 50 keV will be needed to elucidate this difference, not only with sub-nanosecond but also with sub-picosecond lasers.…”

“…One of the most significant and potential applications of high-power lasers pertains to the generation of plasma by focusing laser radiation on solid, liquid, or gaseous targets [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. These plasmas have unique and versatile applications, depending on the laser power, focused intensities, and target parameters.…”

Sagnac interferometry and self-Kerr nonlinearity dependent photon drag

“…Self-Kerr non-linearity (SKN), which is a nonlinear phenomenon, has also been used in such systems because of its unique features and applications in fundamental quantum optics and advanced quantum technologies such as quantum information, quantum machine learning and many more [17][18][19][20][21][22]. Kerr effect has also been the center of research in strong field physics, quantum state preparation, distributed sensors, and coherent Ising (a) E-mail: Sana7175@gmail.com (corresponding author) machine computation [23][24][25][26]. Keeping in view the significance of Kerr effect, Yan et al [27] proposed enhanced SKN under spontaneously generated coherence using a four-level Y-type atomic medium.…”