Particle-in-cell simulations of short-pulse, high intensity light impinging on structured targets

Light propagating down a cone and/or impinging on a structured surface in the short-pulse, high intensity laser-matter interaction which generates the hot energetic electrons essential to the fast ignition scheme is studied with particle-in-cell simulations. These more complex geometries lead to both increased laser light absorption and higher temperatures of the resulting energetic electrons as compared to simple slab interactions. But the relatively wide angular distributions of the energetic electrons observed in the simulations needs to be taken into account in fast ignition designs.