Effects of Polarization on Super-hot Electron Generation in Femtosecond Laser-Plasma Interaction

The effects of laser polarization on super-hot electron (> 100 keV) generation have been studied in the interaction of femtosecond laser light (800 nm, 150 fs, 6 × 10^(15) W·cm^(-2)) with a pre-formed plasma from a slab Cu target. For p-polarized laser pulses, high-energy γ-rays of the energy ~400keV were detected. The electron temperatures deduced from the γ-ray spectra were 66 and 52keV, respectively, in normal and reflective directions of the solid target, and hot electrons were emitted out of the plasma mainly in the normal direction. In contrast, there were nearly no γ-rays >100keV found for s-polarized laser pulses. The hot electron temperature was 26keV and the emission of hot electrons was parallel to the laser field. The superposition of resonant field with electrostatic field excited by escaping electrons may contribute to the high-energy γ-ray or super-hot electron (> 100 keV) generation.