DOI: 10.11648/j.ajop.20261401.12 ISSN: 2330-8494

Quantum Kinetic Study of Energy Transport During Ultrashort Laser Interaction with Dense Plasmas

Punit Kumar
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The interaction of ultrashort femtosecond laser pulses with dense plasma is a fundamental problem in high-energy-density physics, inertial confinement fusion, advanced particle acceleration, and ultrafast photonics. Under conditions of high electron density and ultrashort time scales, classical kinetic models become inadequate because they neglect quantum phenomena such as wave-particle coherence, quantum diffraction, tunnelling, and nonlocal transport. To address these limitations, this study develops a self-consistent quantum kinetic model based on the coupled Wigner-Maxwell framework. Electron dynamics are described using the Wigner distribution function, while the electromagnetic fields are governed by Maxwell’s equations, enabling simultaneous treatment of quantum transport and wave propagation. Analytical formulations are employed to derive the dispersion relation, damping characteristics, and nonlinear evolution equations governing femtosecond laser pulse propagation in dense plasma. The theoretical predictions are validated through numerical simulations performed with realistic plasma and laser parameters representative of contemporary high-intensity laser experiments. The simulations demonstrate significant quantum modifications to wave dispersion, the emergence of multiple resonance branches, and coherence-driven modulation instabilities that are absent in classical descriptions. These quantum effects substantially influence pulse propagation, energy deposition, and plasma stability, leading to altered laser-plasma interaction dynamics. The results establish that quantum kinetic effects play a decisive role in determining the behaviour of ultrashort laser pulses in dense plasma and therefore must be incorporated into predictive models for high-density plasma systems. The proposed Wigner-Maxwell framework provides a rigorous theoretical foundation for investigating quantum laser-plasma interactions and offers valuable guidance for the interpretation and design of experiments at next-generation high-intensity laser facilities.

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