Samsonov A S, Nerush E N, Kostyukov I Yu
Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950, Russia.
Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950, Russia.
Sci Rep. 2019 Jul 31;9(1):11133. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-47355-6.
It is demonstrated by three-dimensional quantum electrodynamics - particle-in-cell (QED-PIC) simulations that vacuum breakdown wave in the form of QED cascade front can propagate in an extremely intense plane electromagnetic wave. The result disproves the statement that the self-sustained cascading is not possible in a plane wave configuration. In the simulations the cascade is initiated during laser-foil interaction in the light sail regime. As a result, a constantly growing electron-positron plasma cushion is formed between the foil and laser radiation. The cushion plasma efficiently absorbs the laser energy and decouples the radiation from the moving foil thereby interrupting the ion acceleration. The models describing propagation of the cascade front and electrodynamics of the cushion plasma are presented and their predictions are in a qualitative agreement with the results of numerical simulations.
三维量子电动力学-粒子模拟（QED-PIC）表明，以QED级联前沿形式存在的真空击穿波能够在极强的平面电磁波中传播。该结果反驳了在平面波配置中不可能实现自持级联的说法。在模拟中，级联在光帆模式下的激光-箔相互作用过程中启动。结果，在箔片和激光辐射之间形成了一个不断增长的电子-正电子等离子体缓冲层。该缓冲层等离子体有效地吸收激光能量，并使辐射与移动的箔片解耦，从而中断离子加速。文中给出了描述级联前沿传播和缓冲层等离子体电动力学的模型，其预测结果与数值模拟结果在定性上一致。
