HOW DOUBLE-LAYERS ACCELERATE CHARGED-PARTICLES

After the theory of dynamic double layers in laser-produced plasmas ar rived at several significant results in agreement with measurement, in cluding particle acceleration, a clarification was given to the paper by Bryant et al. (1992) negating such acceleration. The discrepancy se ems to be in the definition of static double layers in contradiction w ith dynamic double layers that are created in laser-induced plasma. We present here new results on the acceleration of electrons in a laser- irradiated plasma by double layer mechanisms. A simple analytical exam ple is given.