Simulation on Plasma-Based Polarization Optics for Relativistic Laser Pulses

doi:10.3788/AOS241466

	Simulation on Plasma-Based Polarization Optics for Relativistic Laser Pulses
其他题名	基于等离子体的相对论激光偏振调控元件模拟
	Zhuang, Jianzhou 1,2; Zhao, Make 2; Liu, Zhe 1,2; Peng, Wenjie 2; Sun, Haofan2,3 ; Chen, Xiang 2; Leng, Yuxin 1,2; Bin, Jianhui 1,2
	2025-01
发表期刊	GUANGXUE XUEBAO/ACTA OPTICA SINICA
ISSN	0253-2239
卷号	45 期号:2
DOI	10.3788/AOS241466
摘要	Objective Recently, plasma optics have gained significant attention due to their high damage threshold, making them ideal for ultrafast, ultraintense lasers. Novel concepts for plasma-based photonic devices have been proposed, including plasma mirrors, plasma lenses, plasma gratings, plasma wave plates, and plasma polarizers. For example, plasma-based polarizers have been demonstrated at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory using low-density gas targets. However, polarization optics based on solid, dense plasmas have not been widely explored. In this paper, we propose a new design for plasma polarization optics based on overdense, nanometer-thin foils. We investigate this concept using particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. By carefully adjusting plasma parameters, the nanometer-thin foil behaves like a linear polarizer or a quarter-wave plate. This behavior is driven by the inhomogeneity of the plasma density distribution resulting from the interaction, as confirmed by three-dimensional PIC simulations. Methods We investigate plasma polarization optics using the epoch code, conducting both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) simulations. A nanometer-thin foil composed of protons and electrons is placed in the simulated region, with dimensions of 50λ×20λ for the 2D simulation and 20λ×10λ×10λ for the 3D simulation. These regions are divided into 50000×500 and 4000×500×500 grids, respectively. A circularly polarized laser with 800 nm wavelength and a 2.5 μm spot size is focused onto the target and propagates along the x-axis, with peak intensities of 1×1020, 5×1020, 9× 1020 W/cm2. The electron density of the targets is set to 50nc, 100nc, and 150nc, with target thickness varying from 0.01λ to 0.40λ. The polarization of the transmitted laser is calculated by integrating the laser energy along the Ey and Ez components, and the phase is estimated from the mean phase difference between the local maxima of the electric field. The 2D electron density distribution from the 3D simulations is extracted by lineout along the center of the y- and z-axes and the 1D electron density distribution along the x-axis is extracted from the center of the 2D electron density distribution. Results and Discussions 2D simulations show that when a circularly polarized laser passes through a 0.1λ thick, 150nc target, the electric field along the z-axis is significantly suppressed, resulting in an extinction ratio of about 0.84. The transmitted laser then becomes nearly linearly polarized along the y-axis. Further parameter scans with varying thickness and electron density show that the phase difference and polarization undergo dramatic changes in the relativistically induced transparency (RIT) region where laser transmission drops to about 1%. At RIT, the phase difference between Ey and Ez reaches its maximum, and the polarization increases sharply from a relatively small value before saturating when the target thickness or electron density reaches a specific value. In addition, the incident angle plays a crucial role in determining the phase difference. By carefully adjusting the target’s thickness, electron density, and twist angle, we can achieve significant phase delay between the electric fields along the y- and z-axes. A phase delay of π2 is achieved when the circularly polarized laser passes through plasma with a thickness of 0.045λ and an electron density of 150nc. The polarization transitions from circular to linear, with an angle of 45° to the y-axis. Conclusions In this paper, we propose a new design for plasma polarization optics based on overdense nanometer-thin foils, and the polarization behavior of these foils is explored using both 2D and 3D PIC simulations. A linear polarizer or quarter-wave plate is demonstrated under specific parameters. We believe these results will be of great interest to the community and could influence the state-of-the-art in the field of high-field laser science. © 2025 Chinese Optical Society. All rights reserved.
关键词	Beam plasma interactions Circular polarization Digital cameras Distributed Bragg reflectors Electric discharges Fiber optic sensors Image resolution Laser damage Laser mirrors Laser produced plasmas Lenses Light propagation Mass spectrometers Motion picture cameras Pentodes Plasma density Plasma display devices Spectral resolution Storage tubes Wave plasma interactions Laser-plasma interactions Nanometres Particle-in-cell simulations Phase difference Polarization optics Polarization-modulation Thin foil Three dimensional simulations Ultraintense ultrashort laser Ultrashort Laser
收录类别	EI
语种	中文
出版者	Chinese Optical Society
EI入藏号	20250517781916
EI主题词	Electron density measurement
EI分类号	1106.3.1 Image Processing ; 1301.1.3.1 Spectroscopy ; 1301.2.3 Plasma Physics ; 1301.3 Optics ; 701.1 Electricity: Basic Concepts and Phenomena ; 711.1 Electromagnetic Waves in Different Media ; 714.1 Electron Tubes ; 741.1 Light/Optics ; 741.1.2 Fiber Optics ; 741.3 Optical Devices and Systems ; 742.2 Photographic and Video Equipment ; 744.4 Laser Components ; 744.5 Laser Beam Interactions ; 744.6 Laser Applications ; 941.3 Electric Variables Measurements ; 942.1.7 Special Purpose Instruments
原始文献类型	Journal article (JA)
文献类型	期刊论文
条目标识符	https://kms.shanghaitech.edu.cn/handle/2MSLDSTB/490316
专题	物质科学与技术学院物质科学与技术学院_博士生
通讯作者	Leng, Yuxin
作者单位	1.School of Microelectronics, Shanghai University, Shanghai; 200444, China; 2.State Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai; 201800, China; 3.School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai; 201200, China
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Zhuang, Jianzhou,Zhao, Make,Liu, Zhe,et al. Simulation on Plasma-Based Polarization Optics for Relativistic Laser Pulses[J]. GUANGXUE XUEBAO/ACTA OPTICA SINICA,2025,45(2).
APA	Zhuang, Jianzhou.,Zhao, Make.,Liu, Zhe.,Peng, Wenjie.,Sun, Haofan.,...&Bin, Jianhui.(2025).Simulation on Plasma-Based Polarization Optics for Relativistic Laser Pulses.GUANGXUE XUEBAO/ACTA OPTICA SINICA,45(2).
MLA	Zhuang, Jianzhou,et al."Simulation on Plasma-Based Polarization Optics for Relativistic Laser Pulses".GUANGXUE XUEBAO/ACTA OPTICA SINICA 45.2(2025).