Particle-in-cell simulations of aluminum ablation with laser ray tracing*

Design and analysis of high energy density (HED) experiments utilizing high power lasers usually rely on radiation hydrodynamics simulations. There are some regimes, however, where plasma is sufficiently collisionless, such as magnetic field generation via the Biermann battery mechanism, strongly driven magnetic reconnection, or the formation of magnetized collisionless shocks via ablated plume-ambient plasma interaction. Thus, first-principle kinetic simulations or extended fluid models may be necessary for a better understanding of HED physics. In our work, we present the benchmarking and the first results obtained with the laser energy deposition module implemented in the particle-in-cell code PSC. The simulation results are tested against radiation hydrodynamic simulations with the FLASH code and analytical estimates. We also highlight the limits of the applicability of the radiation hydrodynamics model.