Fig. 5 | Communications Physics

Fig. 5

From: Electromagnetic field growth triggering super-ponderomotive electron acceleration during multi-picosecond laser-plasma interaction

Fig. 5

Mechanism for the sudden growth of quasi-static electric and magnetic fields. When the thermal pressure exceeds the ponderomotive pressure, the bulk plasma begins to expand, and the strong quasi-static electric field (a) is then generated at the near-critical density region. The newly generated strong electric field contributes to the E × B drift by combination with the magnetic field (b). When the relativistic electrons (REs) flow in the plasma, the return-current is driven to maintain current neutrality in the plasma (c). In the plasma region where RE current terminates, the electric field is enhanced by the inflow of electrons (d). The current loop produced by the spatial separation between the RE drift current and the return-current generates a magnetic field along the outer edge of the bow-shaped bulk plasma surface (e). The positive feedback between the growth of the fields and the field-driven drift current results in the rapid growth of the quasi-static electric and magnetic fields with time ((c)–(h))

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