We review studies of superintense laser interactions with solid targets where the generation of propagating surface plasmons (or surface waves) plays a key role. These studies include the onset of plasma instabilities at the irradiated surface, the enhancement of secondary emissions ( protons, electrons, and photons as high harmonics in the XUV range) in femtosecond interactions with grating targets, and the generation of unipolar current pulses with picosecond duration. The experimental results give evidence of the existence of surface plasmons in the nonlinear regime of relativistic electron dynamics. These findings open up a route to the improvement of ultrashort laser-driven sources of energetic radiation and, more in general, to the extension of plasmonics in a high field regime. Published by AIP Publishing.
Surface plasmons in superintense laser-solid interactions
Macchi A
2018
Abstract
We review studies of superintense laser interactions with solid targets where the generation of propagating surface plasmons (or surface waves) plays a key role. These studies include the onset of plasma instabilities at the irradiated surface, the enhancement of secondary emissions ( protons, electrons, and photons as high harmonics in the XUV range) in femtosecond interactions with grating targets, and the generation of unipolar current pulses with picosecond duration. The experimental results give evidence of the existence of surface plasmons in the nonlinear regime of relativistic electron dynamics. These findings open up a route to the improvement of ultrashort laser-driven sources of energetic radiation and, more in general, to the extension of plasmonics in a high field regime. Published by AIP Publishing.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.