Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 March 2009
A simple model in two dimensions is developed and solved analytically taking into account the electric and magnetic fields in laser produced plasmas. The electric potential in this model is described by the non-linear differential equation
ψ = eφ/T, where eφ is the electric potential energy and T is the temperature in energy units. The physical branch ψ < 1, defined by the electron density n = no exp ψ, boundary conditions n (x = 0) = const and n (x = +∞) = 0, introduces a typical electrostatic double layer. The stationary solution of this model is consistent for − 3 ≲ ψ < 1, with electron temperatures in the KeV region and a ratio of the electric (E) to magnetic (B) fields of [E/106 v/cm]/[B/MGauss] ∼ 1.