Numerical implementation of a hybrid PIC-fluid framework in laser-envelope approximation

D. Terzani, P. Londrillo, P. Tomassin, L. A Gizzi

Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1596, 4th European Advanced Accelerator Concepts Workshop 2019, Isola d'Elba, Italy

Abstract

Particle-In-Cell (PIC) simulation are fundamental to address a detailed study of a Laser Wake Field Acceleration process. Given the ongoing development of cm-scale plasma accelerators, reduced physical models are necessary to face otherwise unfeasible predictive start-to-end simulations. In this context, the equation of a plasma in the cold fluid approximation can be a powerful numerical tool because the system dynamics relies on the inversion of the Euler equation on a grid, much cheaper than the usual field coupling with macroparticle motion that characterizes the standard PIC loop. We show here the implementation of a hybrid PIC-fluid framework in ALaDyn code that allows the bulk plasma dynamics to be quickly solved while retaining the kinetic properties by placing macroparticles on top of the fluid background.