Simulation of nonlinear relativistic modes in a magnetized subcritical plasma using 2D electromagnetic PIC code

In this paper, the ultra-short laser propagation in the subcritical plasma and in the presence of an external magnetic field is investigated, using a two-dimension electromagnetic PIC simulation code. By propagation of ultra-intensity laser pulse through the plasma the new electrostatic modes appear in the environment. The plasma behavior is completely relativistic due to the interaction with the high-power short laser pulse. The simulation results show that the magnetic field strongly affect the excited waves amplitude. This magnetic field cause the excited waves break faster due to the phase-mixing phenomenon resulting in more transmission of laser energy to the plasma particles. These two-dimension simulation results confirm the recent theoretical results in this field of research. Moreover, at the average laser intensity amplitude, the nonlinear plasma wave can also break in the plasma densities near the critical density.

Keywords:

PIC simulation , phase-mixing , subcritical plasma , ultra-short laser