Ray-tracing laser-deposition model for plasma particle-in-cell simulation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a ray-tracing laser-deposition model for plasma simulations that accurately captures laser-plasma interactions, including oblique incidence and reflection, and is validated against analytic solutions and existing codes.

Contribution

It presents a novel coupling method for laser energy deposition in particle-in-cell plasma simulations using a comprehensive ray-tracing approach.

Findings

Model accurately reproduces analytic solutions.

Incorporates oblique incidence and reflection effects.

Validated against a 2-D laser ray-tracing code.

Abstract

We develop a ray-tracing model for laser-plasma interaction suitable for coupling in-line into kinetic particle-in-cell plasma simulation. The model is based on inverse Bremsstrahlung absorption and includes oblique incidence effects and reflection at the critical surface. The energy deposition is given to electrons by randomized kicks to momentum. The model is verified against analytic solutions and a 2-D laser ray-tracing code.