Ab initio simulations of the propagation in a plasma of a soon to be available relativistic electron-positron beam or fireball beam provide an effective mean for the study of microphysics relevant to astrophysical scenarios. We show that the current filamentation instability associated with some of these scenarios reaches saturation after only 10 cm of propagation in a typical laboratory plasma with a density 10^17/cc. The different regimes of the instability, from the purely transverse to the mixed mode filamentation, can be accessed by varying the background plasma density. The instability generates large local plasma gradients, intense transverse magnetic fields, and enhanced emission of radiation. We suggest that these effects may be observed experimentally for the first time.
In this paper we present the results of the spectral studies of erosive discharge with tin alloy electrodes and of the generated JFs, and experimentally determine internal energy of JFs using the calorimetric technique.
A model is proposed to explain hysteresis observed in fireball formation and extinction as electrode bias is varied in partially ionized plasmas. Formation is predicted after a sufficiently deep potential well is established in the electron sheath of the electrode. Under the experimental conditions considered, once the fireball forms the plasma potential rapidly increases, resulting in electrons being only lost to the electrode.Previous predictions suggest that once formed the fireball double layer must maintain a potential close to the ionization potential of the neutral gas to remain in a st…
Biased electrodes are common components of plasma sources and diagnostics. The plasma-electrode interaction is mediated by an intervening sheath structure that influences properties of the electrons and ions contacting the electrode surface, as well as how the electrode influences properties of the bulk plasma. A rich variety of sheath structures have been observed, including ion sheaths, electron sheaths, double sheaths, double layers, anode glow, and fireballs. These represent complex self-organized responses of the plasma that depend not only on the local influence of the electrode, but als…
Main results of researches of the electric erosive discharge afterglow plasma, of the fireballs being formed by this plasma and having some particular but deep similarities to the ball lightning are given. The analysis of our results and results of some other authors has allowed to specify the nature of radiation and stability of the shape for a dust-gas chemical fireball, to make series of assumptions concerning the mechanism of these properties. The experimental results and considerations of the given work can be interesting for physics of plasma with different kinds of condensed state, for …
Interplay of transition of floating potential fluctuations in a glow discharge plasma in the toroidal vacuum vessel of SINP tokamak has been observed. With variation in the strength of the vertical and toroidal magnetic fields, regular and inverted relaxation oscillations as well as sinusoidal oscillations are observed with the slow and fast time scale of the relaxation oscillations reversing their nature at a high value of vertical magnetic field strength. However for small value of toroidal magnetic field the transitions follow relaxation $\rightarrow$ chaotic oscillations with the chaotic n…
We analyze the obtained solutions of the non-linear Shroedinger equation for spherically and axially symmetrical electrons density oscillations in plasma. The conditions of the oscillations process existence are examined. It is shown that in the center or on the axis of symmetry of the systems the static density of electrons enhances. This process results in the increasing of density and pressure of the ion gas. We suggest that this mechanism could occur in nature as rare phenomenon called the fireball and could be used in carrying out the research concerning controlled fusion. The description…
We have obtained the solutions of linearized Shr{ö}dinger equation for spherically and axially symmetrical electrons density oscillations in plasma in the approximation of the self-consistent field. It was shown that in the center or on the axis of symmetry of such a system the static density of electrons can enhance, which leads to the increasing of density and pressure of ion gas. We suggest that this mechanism could be realized in nature as rare phenomenon called the 'fireball' and could be used in carrying out the research concerning controlled fusion.
Here we discuss the possibility of employment of ultrarelativistic electron and proton bunches for generation of high plasma wakefields in dense plasmas due to the Cherenkov resonance plasma-bunch interaction. We estimate the maximum amplitude of such a wake and minimum system length at which the maximum amplitude can be generated at the given bunch parameters.
{A simple electrodynamic model is developed to define plasma-field structures in self-consistent ultra-relativistic laser-plasma interactions when the radiation reaction effects come into play. An exact analysis of a circularly polarized laser interacting with plasmas is presented. We define fundamental notations such as nonlinear dielectric permittivity, ponderomotive and dissipative forces acting in a plasma. Plasma-field structures arising during the ultra-relativisitc interactions are also calculated. Based on these solutions we show that about 50% of laser energy can be converted into gam…
We advance a theory of quasistatic approximation and investigate the excitation of nonlinear plasma waves by the driving beam of ultrarelativistic electrons using novel electrostatic-like particle- in-cell code. Assuming that the beam occupies an infinitesimally small volume, we find the radius and length of the plasma bubble formed in the wake of the driver for varying values of the beam charge. The mechanism of the bubble formation is explained by developing simple models of the bubble at large charges. Plasma electrons expelled by the driver charge excite secondary plasma waves which compli…
Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation results of sustained acceleration of electron-positron (e+e-) plasmas by comoving electromagnetic (EM) pulses are presented. When a thin slab of overdense e+e- plasma is irradiated with linear-polarized ultra-intense short laser pulses from both sides, the pulses are transmitted when the plasma is compressed to thinner than ~ 2 relativistic skin depths. A fraction of the plasma is then captured and efficiently accelerated by self-induced JxB forces. For 1 micron laser and 1021Wcm-2 intensity, the maximum energy exceeds GeV in a picosecond.
We present the first observation of an instability in an expanding ultracold plasma. We observe periodic emission of electrons from an ultracold plasma in weak, crossed magnetic and electric fields, and a strongly perturbed electron density distribution in electron time-of-flight projection images. We identify this instability as a high-frequency electron drift instability due to the coupling between the electron drift wave and electron cyclotron harmonic, which has large wavenumbers corresponding to wavelengths close to the electron gyroradius.
We report the observation of plasma oscillations in an ultracold neutral plasma. With this collective mode we probe the electron density distribution and study the expansion of the plasma as a function of time. For classical plasma conditions, i.e. weak Coulomb coupling, the expansion is dominated by the pressure of the electron gas and is described by a hydrodynamic model. Discrepancies between the model and observations at low temperature and high density may be due to strong coupling of the electrons.
An experimental setup that directly reproduces Extreme UV-lithography relevant conditions for detailed component exposure tests is described. The EUV setup includes a pulsed plasma radiation source, operating at 13.5 nm; a debris mitigation system; collection and filtering optics; and an UHV experimental chamber, equipped with optical and plasma diagnostics. The first results, identifying the physical parameters and evolution of EUV-induced plasmas are presented. Finally, the applicability and accuracy of the in situ diagnostics is briefly discussed.
A Rydberg gas of NO entrained in a supersonic molecular beam releases electrons as it evolves to form an ultracold plasma. The size of this signal, compared with that extracted by the subsequent application of a pulsed electric field, determines the absolute magnitude of the plasma charge. This information, combined with the number density of ions, supports a simple thermochemical model that explains the evolution of the plasma to an ultracold electron temperature.
A novel explanation of the relativistic self-induced transparency effect during superintense laser interaction with an overdense plasma is proposed. We studied it analytically and verified with direct modeling by both PIC and kinetic equation simulations. Based on this treatment, a method of ultrashort high-energy electron bunch generation with durations on a few femtosecond time scale is also proposed and studied via numerical simulation
A similarity theory is developed for ultra-relativistic laser-plasmas. It is shown that the most fundamental S-similarity is valid for both under- and overdense plasmas. Optimal scalings for laser wake field electron acceleration are obtained heuristically. The strong message of the present work is that the bubble acceleration regime [see Pukhov, Meyer-ter-Vehn, Appl. Phys. B, vol. 74, 355 (2002)] satisfies these optimal scalings.
Collective effects, such as waves and instabilities, are integral to our understanding of most plasma phenomena. We have been able to study these in ultracold neutral plasmas by shaping the initial density distribution through spatial modulation of the ionizing laser intensity. We describe a relay imaging system for the photoionization beam that allows us to create higher resolution features and its application to extend the observation of ion acoustic waves to shorter wavelengths. We also describe the formation of sculpted density profiles to create fast expansion of plasma into vacuum and st…
We excite ion acoustic waves in ultracold neutral plasmas by imprinting density modulations during plasma creation. Laser-induced fluorescence is used to observe the density and velocity perturbations created by the waves. The effect of expansion of the plasma on the evolution of the wave amplitude is described by treating the wave action as an adiabatic invariant. After accounting for this effect, we determine that the waves are weakly damped, but the damping is significantly faster than expected for Landau damping.
We photoionize laser-cooled atoms with a laser beam possessing spatially periodic intensity modulations to create ultracold neutral plasmas with controlled density perturbations. Laser-induced fluorescence imaging reveals that the density perturbations oscillate in space and time, and the dispersion relation of the oscillations matches that of ion acoustic waves, which are long-wavelength, electrostatic, density waves.
Plasma dynamics critically depends on density and temperature, thus well-controlled experimental realizations are essential benchmarks for theoretical models. The formation of an ultracold plasma can be triggered by ionizing a tunable number of atoms in a micrometer-sized volume of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) by a single femtosecond laser pulse. The large density combined with the extremely low temperature of the BEC give rise to an initially strongly coupled plasma in a so far unexplored regime bridging ultracold neutral plasma and ionized nanoclusters. Here, we report on ultrafast cooli…
In the present paper we calculate the dielectric functions of an ultra-relativistic plasma, such as an electron-positron or a quark-gluon plasma. We use classical transport theory and take into account collisions within the relaxation time approximation. From these dielectric functions we derive the dispersion relations of longitudinal and transverse plasma waves.
