High-energy-density electron beam generation in ultra intense laser-plasma interaction

By using a two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation, we demonstrate a scheme for high-energy-density electron beam generation by irradiating an ultra intense laser pulse onto an aluminum (Al) target. With the laser having a peak intensity of 4 × 1023 W cm−2, a high quality electron beam with a maximum density of 117nc and a kinetic energy density up to 8.79 × 1018 J m−3 is generated. The temperature of the electron beam can be 416 MeV, and the beam divergence is only 7.25°. As the laser peak intensity increases (e.g., 1024 W cm−2), both the beam energy density (3.56 × 1019 J m−3) and the temperature (545 MeV) are increased, and the beam collimation is well controlled. The maximum density of the electron beam can even reach 180nc. Such beams should have potential applications in the areas of antiparticle generation, laboratory astrophysics, etc.