Absorption of ultra-short laser pulses and particle transport in dense targets

A new version of the numerical code KALOS has been developed to solve the Vlasov-Fokker-Planck equation for electrons as well as EM wave propagation. KALOS represents the electron distribution function in momentum space by an expansion in spherical harmonics. Its unique features make possible simultaneous investigations of fast electron generation and transport and the collisional evolution of thermal particles, including the return current of cold electrons. We report here on results obtained in one spatial dimension. Absorption of 100fs, 10 15 W/cm 2 laser pulses has been studied at normal incidence in sharp-edged dense plasmas. We have studied the effect on absorption of energy transport into the target as well as the deviation of the electron distribution function from Maxwellian. It is shown that it is necessary to take into account collisional heat transport into the target in order to correctly model the absorption rate at the front surface.