Ultra intense laser/plasma interaction at normal incidence: Relativistic mirrors effects, high harmonics generation and absorption

An analytical study of the relativistic interaction of a linearly-polarized laser-field of ω frequency with highly overdense plasma is presented. Very intense high harmonics are generated produced by relativistic mirrors effects due to the relativistic electron plasma oscillation. Also, in agreement with 1D Particle-In-Cell Simulations (PICS), the model self-consistently explains the transition between the sheath inverse bremsstrahlung (SIB) absorption regime and the J×B heating (responsible for the 2ω electron bunches), as well as the mean electron energy.