Product Code: ICAL08_M204

Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Laser Interaction with Weakly-ionized Helium Plasmas
Authors:
Huayu Li, Michigan State University; East Lansing MI USA
Hyungson Ki, Michigan State University; East Lansing MI USA
Presented at ICALEO 2008

Laser induced ionization of matter is important in many applications of laser matter interaction. In this paper, femtosecond laser interaction with weakly-ionized Helium plasmas is simulated using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Ionization of Helium atoms as well as the loss of free electrons due to recombination is taken into account in the model. The electromagnetic fields of the laser beam and the plasma are solved by using the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method. This study presents some interesting results on the plasma behaviors including ionization dynamics.