Abstract Heating of over-dense plasma represents a long-standing quest in laser–plasma physics. When the strength magnetic field is above critical value, right-handed circularly polarized laser could propagate into and heat up highly magnetized collisional directly; processes are dependent on parameters laser, field. The parametric dependence fully studied both qualitatively quantitatively, res...

Abstract Helicon plasma sources are known to be efficient generators of high-density plasma for materials processing applications. By using multiple sources, arbitrarily large substrates can in principle be covered uniformly with dense plasma. To test this idea, a seven-tube helicon source was constructed, and the plasma density and uniformity measured. Densities up to 1012 cm−3 over a 40 cm di...

A new electron acceleration mechanism is identified that develops when a relativistically intense laser irradiates the wedge of an over-dense plasma. This induces diffracted electromagnetic wave with significant longitudinal electric field accelerates electrons from plasma over long distances to relativistic energies. Well collimated, highly-charged (nC) bunches energies up 100's MeV are obtain...

We present a novel scheme for dense electron acceleration driven by the laser irradiation of near-critical-density plasma. The reflux effect in transversely tailored plasma is particularly enhanced area peak density. observe bubble-like distribution re-injected electrons, which forms strong quasistatic electromagnetic field that can accelerate electrons longitudinally while also preserving tran...