A Fully Three-Dimensional Kinetic Particle-In-Cell Framework for Modeling Laser-Dielectric Interactions: Few-Cycle Pulse Damage

TL;DR

This paper introduces a comprehensive 3D kinetic Particle-In-Cell framework, based on EPOCH, to simulate laser interactions with dielectrics, providing new insights into laser-induced damage mechanisms for few-cycle pulses.

Contribution

It develops a novel 3D kinetic PIC model incorporating molecular photoionization and dielectric response, enabling detailed simulations of laser damage in dielectrics.

Findings

Model accurately reproduces experimental damage thresholds in silica.

Simulations reveal energy absorption and particle dynamics during laser damage.

Framework can predict damage in multi-layer dielectric mirrors.

Abstract

We present a fully three-dimensional kinetic framework for modeling intense short pulse lasers interacting with dielectric materials. Our work modifies the open-source Particle-In-Cell (PIC) code EPOCH to include new models for molecular photoionization and dielectric optical response. We use this framework to model the laser-induced damage of dielectric materials by few-cycle laser pulses. The framework is benchmarked against experimental results for bulk silica targets and then applied to model multi-layer dielectric mirrors with a sequence of simulations with varying laser fluence. This allows us to better understand the laser damage process by providing new insight into energy absorption, excited particle dynamics, and nonthermal excited particle dist