Angular distribution of emitted electrons due to intense p-polarized laser foil interaction

Abstract

The angular distribution of electrons emitting from a foil surface illuminated by p-polarized laser pulses is studied using particle-in-cell simulation for incident angles of θ1=22.5°, 45°, 67.5° and laser amplitudes of a=0.5, 1, 2. Theoretical prediction of the emission direction, based on canonical momentum conservation along the target surface, is verified. Surface ablation, the Alfvén current limit, as well as self-generated electromagnetic fields on the surface are numerically investigated and found to play important roles in the modulation of the angular distribution of the emitted electrons. The emitted electrons of higher energy are found to be directly accelerated to near the polarization direction of the incident laser light. The simulation results agree very well with the recent experimental results from Al targets irradiated by a 60 fs, 180 mJ laser pulse.