Efficient modeling of laser plasma interactions in high energy density scenarios

TL;DR

This paper introduces a hybrid-PIC framework integrated into OSIRIS that enables efficient, accurate, and large-scale modeling of laser plasma interactions in high energy density environments, significantly accelerating simulations.

Contribution

A novel hybrid-PIC algorithm combining full and reduced PIC methods implemented in OSIRIS for high energy density plasma modeling.

Findings

Achieved over 1000x computational speedup.

Successfully modeled full density range of a fast ignition target.

Demonstrated efficient stopping of laser-generated electron flux.

Abstract

We describe how a new framework for coupling a full-PIC algorithm with a reduced PIC algorithm has been implemented into the code OSIRIS. We show that OSIRIS with this new hybrid-PIC algorithm can efficiently and accurately model high energy density scenarios such as ion acceleration in laser-solid interactions and fast ignition of fusion targets. We model for the first time the full density range of a fast ignition target in a fully self-consistent hybrid-PIC simulation, illustrating the possibility of stopping the laser generated electron flux at the core region with relatively high efficiencies. Computational speedups greater than 1000 times are demonstrated, opening the way for full-scale multi-dimensional modeling of high energy density scenarios and for the guiding of future experiments.