Stochastic heating of electrons due to Raman backscatter radiations in interaction of intense laser pulse with nitrogen atoms

Abstract

In this paper, simulation study of electron stochastic heating arising from the Raman backscatter radiations during the interaction of the laser pulse with the nitrogen atoms is presented by use of a massively parallel particle-in-cell code. For this purpose, the self-consistent evolutions of the laser pulse via the time-space Fourier transforms of transvers vector potential are investigated at the different times of propagation. It is shown that since the ionization has effect on the emission of the Raman backscattered radiation; it noticeably contributes on the stochastic heating threshold of the electrons. According to our results, it has been found that, when there is the long rise time laser pulse (here 100 fs), the Raman backscattered radiations are seeded by a strong initial noise at the earlier times. Therefore, by considering the ionization, the necessary condition for chaos threshold is met sooner, which, in turn, causes the electron stochastic heating start quickly compared to the case the laser pulse is propagated in the pre-plasma. As a result, in agreement with chaotic nature of the motion, the electrons gain more energy through the stochastic mechanism in the field-ionized plasma.