Simulation of laser-induced ionization in wide bandgap solid dielectrics with a particle-in-cell code

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Laser-Material Interactions
• Computational Physics

Background:

• Ultrafast laser processing of dielectrics involves complex laser-plasma interactions and pulse propagation.
• Understanding nano-scale plasma phenomena like resonance absorption is key for energy deposition control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt the EPOCH particle-in-cell code for modeling laser-plasma interactions within solids.
• To implement and validate ionization modules based on Keldysh theory for solid-state plasmas.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of background permittivity in the EPOCH code.
• Development and validation of adapted field and impact ionization modules.
• Investigation of super-particle density for accurate ionization dynamics.

Main Results:

• Validated ionization modules through comparison with hydrodynamic codes and literature.
• Determined optimal super-particle density for realistic ionization modeling.
• Simulated nano-plasma layer formation via pulse interference in transparent films.

Conclusions:

• The adapted EPOCH code accurately models laser-plasma interactions and ionization in solids.
• This advancement allows for the investigation of quantized structuring in transparent materials.
• The study demonstrates nano-plasma layer formation through pulse reflection interference.