Recent experimental and theoretical investigations are reviewed concerning the generation of fast charged particles and superstrong magnetic fields in the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with solid targets. The mechanisms of generating fast charged particles in superstrong light fields of laser radiation with intensities ranging from 10¹⁷ to 10²¹ W cm^-2 are considered. Electron acceleration due to vacuum heating, the ponderomotive potential, resonance absorption, the laserdriven wake field in the underdense part of plasma, cyclotron mechanism and some other mechanisms are thoroughly analyzed. Experimental data on the acceleration of protons and atomic ions by spatial charge fields on thin and thick solid targets are presented and theoretically interpreted. Particular attention is paid to the generation of superstrong quasistatic magnetic fields in laser plasmas and methods for measuring them under the action of various laser pulses of both femto- and picosecond durations. The possible formation of magnetic plasma configurations and magnetic plasma confinement are discussed.

PACS: 41.75.Jv, 52.38.−r, 79.20.Ds (all) DOI: 10.1070/PU2008v051n08ABEH006541 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2008/8/b/ 000261856600002 2-s2.0-57649102918 2008PhyU...51..793B Citation: Belyaev V S, Krainov V P, Lisitsa V S, Matafonov A P "Generation of fast charged particles and superstrong magnetic fields in the interaction of ultrashort high-intensity laser pulses with solid targets" Phys. Usp. 51 793–814 (2008) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Оригинал: Беляев В С, Крайнов В П, Лисица В С, Матафонов А П «Генерация быстрых заряженных частиц и сверхсильных магнитных полей при взаимодействии сверхкоротких интенсивных лазерных импульсов с твердотельными мишенями» УФН 178 823–847 (2008); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0178.200808b.0823