Splitter target for controlling magnetic reconnection in relativistic laser plasma interactions

0503525 - ÚFP 2019 RIV GB eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Gu, Yanjun - Bulanov, S.S. - Korn, G. - Bulanov, S. V.
Splitter target for controlling magnetic reconnection in relativistic laser plasma interactions.
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. Roč. 60, č. 4 (2018), s. 1-6, č. článku 044020. ISSN 0741-3335. E-ISSN 1361-6587
Institucionální podpora: RVO:61389021
Klíčová slova: acceleration of charged particles * magnetic reconnection * relativistic laser plasmas
Obor OECD: Fluids and plasma physics (including surface physics)
Impakt faktor: 2.799, rok: 2018

The utilization of a conical target irradiated by a high power laser is proposed to study fast magnetic reconnection in relativistic plasma interactions. Such target, placed in front of the near critical density gas jet, splits the laser pulse, forming two parallel laser pulses in the 2D case and a donut shaped pulse in the 3D case. The magnetic annihilation and reconnection occur in the density downramp region of the subsequent gas jet. The magnetic field energy is converted into the particle kinetic energy. As a result, a backward accelerated electron beam is obtained as a signature of reconnection. The above mechanisms are demonstrated using particle-in-cell simulations in both 2D and 3D cases. Facilitating the synchronization of two laser beams, the proposed approach can be used in designing the corresponding experiments on studying fundamental problems of relativistic plasma physics.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0295342