Atoms, Solids, and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields


Book Description

Proceedings of the 30th Course of the International School of Quantum Electronics on Atoms, Solids and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields, held 8-14 July, in Erice, Sicily




Atoms, Solids, and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields


Book Description

The recent developement of high power lasers, delivering femtosecond pulses of 20 2 intensities up to 10 W/cm , has led to the discovery of new phenomena in laser interactions with matter. At these enormous laser intensities, atoms, and molecules are exposed to extreme conditions and new phenomena occur, such as the very rapid multi photon ionization of atomic systems, the emission by these systems of very high order harmonics of the exciting laser light, the Coulomb explosion of molecules, and the acceleration of electrons close to the velocity of light. These phenomena generate new behaviour of bulk matter in intense laser fields, with great potential for wide ranging applications which include the study of ultra-fast processes, the development of high-frequency lasers, and the investigation of the properties of plasmas and condensed matter under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure. In particular, the concept of the "fast ignitor" approach to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) has been proposed, which is based on the separation of the compression and the ignition phases in laser-driven ICF. The aim of this course on "Atom, Solids and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser fields" was to bring together senior researchers and students in atomic and molecular physics, laser physics, condensed matter and plasma physics, in order to review recent developments in high-intensity laser-matter interactions. The course was held at the Ettore Majorana International Centre for Scientific Culture in Erice from July 8 to July 14,2000.




A Superintense Laser-Plasma Interaction Theory Primer


Book Description

The continuous trend towards higher and higher laser intensities has opened the way to new physical regimes and advanced applications of laser-plasma interactions, thus stimulating novel connections with ultrafast optics, astrophysics, particle physics, and biomedical applications. This book is primarily oriented towards students and young researchers who need to acquire rapidly a basic knowledge of this active and rapidly changing research field. To this aim, the presentation is focused on a selection of basic models and inspiring examples, and includes topics which emerged recently such as ion acceleration, "relativistic engineering" and radiation friction. The contents are presented in a self-contained way assuming only a basic knowledge of classical electrodynamics, mechanics and relativistic dynamics at the undergraduate (Bachelor) level, without requiring any previous knowledge of plasma physics. Hence, the book may serve in several ways: as a compact textbook for lecture courses, as a short and accessible introduction for the newcomer, as a quick reference for the experienced researcher, and also as an introduction to some nonlinear mathematical methods through examples of their application to laser-plasma modeling.




Super-Intense Laser-Atom Physics IV


Book Description

Atoms in strong radiation fields are interesting objects for study, and the research field that concerns itself with this study is a comparatively young one. For a long period after the ~scovery of the photoelectric effect. it was not possible to generate electro magnetic fields that did more than perturb the atom only slightly, and (first-or~er) perturbation theory could perfectly explain what was going on at those low intensities. The development of the pulsed laser bas changed this state of affairs in a rather dramatic way, and fields can be applied that really have a large, or even dominant influence on atomic structure. In the latter case, w~ speak of super-intense fields. Since the interaction between atoms and electromagnetic waves is characterized by many parameters other than the light intensity, such as frequency, iQnization potential, orbit time, etc., it is actually quite difficult to define what is exactly meant by the term 'super-intense'. Obviously the term does not have an absolute meaning, and intensity should always be viewed in relation to other properties of the system. An atom in a radiation field can thus best be described in terms of various ratios of the quantities involved. The nature of the system sometimes drastically changes if the value of one of these parameters exceeds a certain critical value, and the new regime could be called super-intense with respect to that parameter.




Superintense Laser Fields


Book Description




Superintense Laser Fields


Book Description




Super-Intense Laser—Atom Physics


Book Description

The rapid development of powerful pulsed lasers is at the origin of a conside rable interest in studying the response of an atom, a molecule (or a solid) to a strong electromagnetic field. It is now possible to produce at the laboratory scale, ultra-short 13 pulses with a duration of 100 femtoseconds (10- second) and a power of the order 12 of 1 terawatt (10 Watt). Under these conditions, very high peak intensities may be obtained and electric fields exceeding typical electron binding fields in atoms are generated. The interaction of an atom or a molecule with such electromagnetic fields has a highly non-linear character which leads to unexpected phenomena. Amongst them, - above-threshold ionization (ATI) i.e. the absorption of additional photons in excess of the minimal number necessary to overcome the ionization potential and its molecular counterpart, above-threshold dissociation (ATD); - generation of very high harmonics of the driving field; - stabilization of one-electron systems in strong fields. These processes were the main topics of two international meetings which were held in 1989 and 1991 in the United States under the common name SILAP (Super-Intense Laser-Atom Physics).




Multiphoton Processes in Atoms


Book Description

Multiphoton ionization of atoms in intense laser-light fields is gaining ground as a spectroscopic diagnostic tool. In this volume, Delone and Krainov present their and others' theoretical description of the process occurring in atoms under conditions of multi-photon impacts, in particular, the shift, broadening, and mixing of electronic states which complicate the interpretation of spectra. The topics of individual chapters include tunneling ionization, above-threshold ionization, ionization of multiply charged ions, resonance-enhenced ionization, super-intense radiation fields, and properties of Rydberg states in strong fields.







Relativistic Nonlinear Electrodynamics


Book Description

This is the first book on the subject matter of relativistic nonlinear electrodynamics The book presents new results on various nonlinear electromagnetic phenomena The topics discussed in the book will be the center of fundamental research in the next decade