FOKKER-PLANCK SIMULATIONS OF INTERACTIONS OF FEMTOSECOND LASER-PULSESWITH DENSE-PLASMAS

The interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with solid-state density p lasmas in regime of normal skin effect is investigated by means of num erical simulation. For short-wavelength lasers and laser pulses with l ength less than or similar to 120 fs full width at half maximum, the r egime of normal skin effect is shown to hold for peak intensities up t o 10(17) W/cm2. The basic characteristics of the interaction are revea led and certain departures from simplistic models in electron distribu tion function, in plasma dielectric constant, and in laser absorption are pointed out. Comparison with the published experimental results is made.