Extremely small and fast: Laser ignites hot plasma
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - 14:30
in Physics & Chemistry
When light pulses from an extremely powerful laser system are fired onto material samples, the electric field of the light rips the electrons off the atomic nuclei. A plasma is created. The electrons couple with the laser light in the process. When flying out of the target, they pull the atomic cores behind them. In order to experimentally investigate this complex acceleration process scientists have developed a novel type of diagnostics for innovative laser-based particle accelerators.