Generating energetic electrons through staged acceleration in the two-plasmon-decay instability in inertial confinement fusion

R. Yan, C. Ren, J. Li, A. V. Maximov, W. B. Mori, Z.-M. Sheng, and F. S. Tsung

Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 175002 – Published 24 April 2012

Abstract

A new hot-electron generation mechanism in two-plasmon-decay instabilities is described based on a series of 2D, long-term ( $\sim 10 ps$ ) particle-in-cell and fluid simulations under parameters relevant to inertial confinement fusion. The simulations show that significant laser absorption and hot-electron generation occur in the nonlinear stage. The hot electrons are stage accelerated from the low-density region to the high-density region. New modes with small phase velocities develop in the low-density region in the nonlinear stage and form the first stage for electron acceleration. Electron-ion collisions are shown to significantly reduce the efficiency of this acceleration mechanism.

Received 24 August 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.175002

Authors & Affiliations

R. Yan¹, C. Ren^1,2,*, J. Li¹, A. V. Maximov¹, W. B. Mori^3,4, Z.-M. Sheng⁵, and F. S. Tsung³

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering and Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA
²Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA
³Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
⁴Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
⁵Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (MoE) and Department of Physics, Shanghai Jiaotong University, China