Multi-phase ionization dynamics of carbon thin film irradiated by high power short pulse laser

Abstract

The ionization dynamics of a carbon thin film irradiated by a high power short pulse laser in the range of 1019−20 W/cm2 are studied using the extended particle-based integrated code (EPIC), which includes atomic and collisional processes. Two types of ionization dynamics exhibiting different spatio-temporal structures are found to predominantly regulate the process, and arise depending on the laser amplitude. The first is a fast convective propagation for charge states up to C4+, which keeps a steep ionization front. The velocity of the front is of the order of the speed of light. The front formation results from the localized longitudinal electrostatic field and associated field ionization, which in turn propagates inside the film. This convective propagation is triggered when the laser field becomes high enough that electron bunches accelerated by the laser ponderomotive force reach relativistic energies and penetrate inside the film across the surface. The second dynamics is a fast non-diffusive propagation of ionization showing a long plasma density scale length for C5+ and C6+. This process results predominantly from electron impact ionization by high energy electron bunches successively produced by the laser. These electron bunches also excite wake fields that propagate inside the film and contribute to ionizing the film to higher charge states, i.e., C5+ and C6+, especially near the front surface. The effect of field ionization loss, which sensitively influences the ionization dynamics in the relatively low laser power regime, is also discussed.