X-ray generation by laser-cluster interaction

Abstract

We investigate the efficient heating of quasi-free electrons during the interaction of short infrared laser pulses with large rare-gas clusters. In the framework of our mean-field classical transport simulation we are able to explain the emission of characteristic x-rays at moderate laser intensities (I ∼ 10 15 Wcm -2 ) where the ponderomotive energy of the electrons is by far to low to allow for the creation of inner-shell vacancies. We identify large-angle elastic electron-ion scattering as an important heating mechanism at moderate laser intensities.