Plasma Electron Kinetics and Distribution Functions in Laser Fields
- Authors: Ferrante, G; Oliveri, RL
- Publication year: 2010
- Type: Capitolo o Saggio (Capitolo o saggio)
- Key words: EDF; Anisotropic bi-Maxwellian; Anisotropic heating; Harmonic generation in plasma; Laser-plasma interaction
- OA Link: http://hdl.handle.net/10447/58081
Abstract
A concise review of the properties of electron distribution functions in a fully ionized plasma in the presence of a high-frequency laser field is presented. In detail is discussed the physical origin of most of the reported results in the case of strong fields. The presence of a laser field, through the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption, alters dynamically the roles of and the interplay between electron-ion and electron-electron collisions shaping the distribution function. Special attention is paid to the role of e-e collisions in the process of laser-plasma interaction.