The Influence of Strong Laser Fields on the Interaction between Fast B₃⁺ Clusters and Plasmas

The influence of a high-intensity laser field on the inelastic interactions between a swift B₃⁺ cluster ion and a plasma target is studied by means of the linearized Vlasov–Poisson theory. Excitations of the plasma are described by the classical plasma dielectric function. In the presence of the laser field, the general expressions for the induced potential in the target and the interaction force among the ions within the cluster are derived. Based on the numerical solution of the equations of motion for the constituent ions, the Coulomb explosion patterns and the cluster's energy losses are discussed for a range of laser parameters.