Priming the Plasma: Modeling Prepulse Effects in Porous Targets

Laser prepulses can significantly alter the structure and composition of porous targets before the arrival of the main pulse — priming the system for subsequent energy absorption, particle acceleration, and radiation generation. We present a two-stage numerical framework that models this evolution: a particle-based, Lagrangian method captures plasma formation and expansion within complex porous geometries, including shock dynamics, ionization, and radiative effects. The resulting pre-plasma profiles are then used to initialize a custom particle-in-cell simulation of the main pulse. This approach reveals how prepulse conditions and microstructure influence the efficiency of laser–plasma coupling and offers insights for tailoring targets in high-intensity laser experiments.