A rasterization-based ray-tracing method for laser–plasma interactions

This paper introduces a novel ray-tracing methodology for various gradient-index materials, particularly plasmas. The proposed approach utilizes adaptive-step Runge–Kutta integration to compute ray trajectories while incorporating an innovative rasterization step for ray energy deposition. By removi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tao Tao, Zhujun Li, Kejian Qian, Xian Jiang, Guannan Zheng, Rui Yan, Haoran Liu, Qing Jia, Jun Li, Hang Ding, Jian Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-01-01
Series:High Power Laser Science and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2095471925000222/type/journal_article
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849422530354348032
author Tao Tao
Zhujun Li
Kejian Qian
Xian Jiang
Guannan Zheng
Rui Yan
Haoran Liu
Qing Jia
Jun Li
Hang Ding
Jian Zheng
author_facet Tao Tao
Zhujun Li
Kejian Qian
Xian Jiang
Guannan Zheng
Rui Yan
Haoran Liu
Qing Jia
Jun Li
Hang Ding
Jian Zheng
author_sort Tao Tao
collection DOAJ
description This paper introduces a novel ray-tracing methodology for various gradient-index materials, particularly plasmas. The proposed approach utilizes adaptive-step Runge–Kutta integration to compute ray trajectories while incorporating an innovative rasterization step for ray energy deposition. By removing the requirement for rays to terminate at cell interfaces – a limitation inherent in earlier cell-confined approaches – the numerical formulation of ray motion becomes independent of specific domain geometries. This facilitates a unified and concise tracing method compatible with all commonly used curvilinear coordinate systems in laser–plasma simulations, which were previously unsupported or prohibitively complex under cell-confined frameworks. Numerical experiments demonstrate the algorithm’s stability and versatility in capturing diverse ray physics across reduced-dimensional planar, cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems. We anticipate that the rasterization-based approach will pave the way for the development of a generalized ray-tracing toolkit applicable to a broad range of fluid simulations and synthetic optical diagnostics.
format Article
id doaj-art-cae48e5fa4cb468a9293bce7a00a5a73
institution Kabale University
issn 2095-4719
2052-3289
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series High Power Laser Science and Engineering
spelling doaj-art-cae48e5fa4cb468a9293bce7a00a5a732025-08-20T03:31:05ZengCambridge University PressHigh Power Laser Science and Engineering2095-47192052-32892025-01-011310.1017/hpl.2025.22A rasterization-based ray-tracing method for laser–plasma interactionsTao Tao0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3897-0980Zhujun Li1https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9820-8485Kejian Qian2Xian Jiang3Guannan Zheng4Rui Yan5Haoran Liu6Qing Jia7Jun Li8Hang Ding9Jian Zheng10Department of Plasma Physics and Fusion Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Plasma Physics and Fusion Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Plasma Physics and Fusion Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Plasma Physics and Fusion Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Plasma Physics and Fusion Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaThis paper introduces a novel ray-tracing methodology for various gradient-index materials, particularly plasmas. The proposed approach utilizes adaptive-step Runge–Kutta integration to compute ray trajectories while incorporating an innovative rasterization step for ray energy deposition. By removing the requirement for rays to terminate at cell interfaces – a limitation inherent in earlier cell-confined approaches – the numerical formulation of ray motion becomes independent of specific domain geometries. This facilitates a unified and concise tracing method compatible with all commonly used curvilinear coordinate systems in laser–plasma simulations, which were previously unsupported or prohibitively complex under cell-confined frameworks. Numerical experiments demonstrate the algorithm’s stability and versatility in capturing diverse ray physics across reduced-dimensional planar, cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems. We anticipate that the rasterization-based approach will pave the way for the development of a generalized ray-tracing toolkit applicable to a broad range of fluid simulations and synthetic optical diagnostics.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2095471925000222/type/journal_articlegeometric opticsinertial confinement fusionlaser-produced plasmasray tracing
spellingShingle Tao Tao
Zhujun Li
Kejian Qian
Xian Jiang
Guannan Zheng
Rui Yan
Haoran Liu
Qing Jia
Jun Li
Hang Ding
Jian Zheng
A rasterization-based ray-tracing method for laser–plasma interactions
High Power Laser Science and Engineering
geometric optics
inertial confinement fusion
laser-produced plasmas
ray tracing
title A rasterization-based ray-tracing method for laser–plasma interactions
title_full A rasterization-based ray-tracing method for laser–plasma interactions
title_fullStr A rasterization-based ray-tracing method for laser–plasma interactions
title_full_unstemmed A rasterization-based ray-tracing method for laser–plasma interactions
title_short A rasterization-based ray-tracing method for laser–plasma interactions
title_sort rasterization based ray tracing method for laser plasma interactions
topic geometric optics
inertial confinement fusion
laser-produced plasmas
ray tracing
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2095471925000222/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT taotao arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT zhujunli arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT kejianqian arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT xianjiang arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT guannanzheng arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT ruiyan arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT haoranliu arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT qingjia arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT junli arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT hangding arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT jianzheng arasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT taotao rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT zhujunli rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT kejianqian rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT xianjiang rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT guannanzheng rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT ruiyan rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT haoranliu rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT qingjia rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT junli rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT hangding rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions
AT jianzheng rasterizationbasedraytracingmethodforlaserplasmainteractions