Theory of Short Pulse Petawatt Laser Plasma Interaction

October 16-18, 2005,
Georg-Christoph-Lichtenberg-Haus,
Dieburger Strasse 241, D-64287 Darmstadt

Supported by Lasernet Europe

Announcement

The fast development of high power lasers with shorter and shorter pulses has triggered a wealth of unknown phenomena in laser plasma interaction during the last decade. Huge numbers of high energy particles and photons can be produced in such laser pulses. New developments like fast ignition of ICF targets or powerful femtosecond diagnostics were suggested. With the appearance of Petawatt pulses for example, ultra high fields can be generated and extreme states of matter with high energy density can be prepared. A close connection of experimental and theoretical efforts is inevitable for further progress in this field. The aim of the Meeting is - in continuation of the Workshop on Simulations of Ultra Intense Laser Beams Interaction With Matter held at Bordeaux (France) in 2003 - to bring together theorists from neighbouring European laser laboratories and support discussion and cooperation in their further work.

Our meeting starts on Sunday, October 16 (arrival) with a welcome party at the Georg-Christoph-Lichtenberg-Haus. The scientific program will run at the same place from Monday morning till Tuesday at noon. In the early afternoon we will leave for GSI. Lunch will be provided at the GSI cafeteria. Visits to the accelerator facilities and the PHELIX laser will be offered in the afternoon.

Scientific program

The workshop focuses on the following topics

1. Absorption mechanisms
2. Electron transport in dense matter
3. Particle acceleration (indirect via charge separation fields and direct by laser fields)
4. Emission of short wavelength radiation (higher harmonics, transition radiation, K_alpha, x-ray lasers)
5. Applications of high energy particles and photons from short pulse laser plasma interaction

In this context, suggestions for possible experiments with the PHELIX laser at GSI or comparable installations are welcomed.

Prof. Klaus Witte will give a status report of the GSI laser at the beginning of our meeting.

List of invited speakers

• J.-C. Adam, CPHT, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France
• A. Andreev, Institute of Laser Physics St. Petersburg, Russia
• M. Basko, ITEP Moscow, Russia
• B. Chichkov, LZ Hannover, Germany
• R. Evans, AWE, Great Britain
• A. Debayle, Celia, Univ. Bordeaux 1, France
• D. Fisher, Weizman Institute, Israel
• M. Geissler, MPQ Garching, Germany
• P. Gibbon, Research Center Juelich, Germany
• S. Gordienko, Univ. Duesseldorf, Germany
• L. Gremillet, CEA Bruyeres-le-Chatel, France
• J. Honrubia, Polytechnic University Madrid, Spain
• C. Keitel, MPI f. Kernphysik Heidelberg, Germany
• R. Kingham, Imperial College, Great Britain
• E. Lefebvre, CEA Bruyeres-le Chatel, France
• J. Limpouch, Univ. Prague, Czech Republic
• P. Mora, CPHT, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France
• P. Mulser, TU Darmstadt, Germany
• A. Robinson, RAL, Great Britain
• H. Ruhl, Univ. Bochum, Germany
• A. Tauschwitz, Univ. Frankfurt, Germany
• V. Tikhonchuk, Celia, Univ. Bordeaux 1, France
• S. Weber, Celia, Univ. Bordeaux 1, France

Conference fee

No conference fee is to be paid.

Accomodation

There are several hotels in the City, from which one can easily reach the Lichtenberg-Haus by bus (line F).
A contingent of rooms has been reserved in Hotel IBIS for the Workshop participants. This option is valid till October 7. Please state reservation number 33623, e-mail address: H3287@accor-hotels.com. Single-room price including breakfast is 68€ for the night October 16/17 and 71€ for the night October 17/18.

I am looking forward to meeting you in Darmstadt.

Yours sincerely,

Theodor Schlegel