Temporal resolution criterion for correctly simulating relativistic electron motion in a high-intensity laser field
Abstract
Particle-in-cell codes are now standard tools for studying ultra-intense laser-plasma interactions. Motivated by direct laser acceleration of electrons in sub-critical plasmas, we examine temporal resolution requirements that must be satisfied to accurately calculate electron dynamics in strong laser fields. Using the motion of a single electron in a perfect plane electromagnetic wave as a test problem, we show surprising deterioration of the numerical accuracy with increasing wave amplitude a0 for a given time-step. We go on to show analytically that the time-step must be significantly less than λ/ca0 to achieve good accuracy. We thus propose adaptive electron sub-cycling as an efficient remedy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2015
- Source ID
- 10.1063/1.4905523
Entities
People
- Alexander P. L. Robinson
- Alexey V Arefiev
- Douglass W. Schumacher
- Ginevra Cochran
- Guangye Chen
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- National Nuclear Security Administration
- Ohio State University
- Science and Technology Facilities Council
- United States Department of Energy
- University of Texas at Austin