%0 Journal Article
%A Wang, Wei-Min
%A Gibbon, P.
%A Sheng, Z.-M.
%A Li, Y.-T.
%A Zhang, J.
%T Laser opacity in underdense preplasma of solid targets due to quantum electrodynamics effects
%J Physical review / E
%V 96
%N 1
%@ 2470-0045
%C Woodbury, NY
%I Inst.
%M FZJ-2017-04561
%P 013201
%D 2017
%X We investigate how next-generation laser pulses at 10–200 PW interact with a solid target in the presence ofa relativistically underdense preplasma produced by amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). Laser hole boringand relativistic transparency are strongly restrained due to the generation of electron-positron pairs and γ -rayphotons via quantum electrodynamics (QED) processes. A pair plasma with a density above the initial preplasmadensity is formed, counteracting the electron-free channel produced by hole boring. This pair-dominated plasmacan block laser transport and trigger an avalanchelike QED cascade, efficiently transferring the laser energyto the photons. This renders a 1-μm scale-length, underdense preplasma completely opaque to laser pulses atthis power level. The QED-induced opacity therefore sets much higher contrast requirements for such a pulsein solid-target experiments than expected by classical plasma physics. Our simulations show, for example, thatproton acceleration from the rear of a solid with a preplasma would be strongly impaired.
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%U <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000405206200026
%$ pmid:29347155
%R 10.1103/PhysRevE.96.013201
%U https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/834657