Evolution of the electric fields induced in high intensity laser-matter interactions

TL;DR

This paper presents the first direct, time-resolved measurements of electric fields generated during high-intensity laser-solid interactions, revealing rapid build-up and persistence of these fields over picoseconds.

Contribution

It introduces a novel sub-100 femtosecond diagnostic technique to measure the evolution of electric fields in laser-matter interactions.

Findings

Electric fields build up within hundreds of femtoseconds.

Fields persist for several picoseconds after laser interaction.

First direct temporal measurements of these fields.

Abstract

Multi MeV protons \cite{snavely2000intense} and heavier ions are emitted by thin foils irradiated by high-intensity lasers, due to the huge accelerating fields, up to several teraelectronvolt per meter, at sub-picosecond timescale \cite{dubois2014target}. The evolution of these huge fields is not well understood till today. Here we report, for the first time, direct and temporally resolved measurements of the electric fields produced by the interaction of a short-pulse high-intensity laser with solid targets. The results, obtained with a sub-$100$ fs temporal diagnostics, show that such fields build-up in few hundreds of femtoseconds and lasts after several picoseconds.