Energetic beams of negative and neutral hydrogen from intense laser plasma interaction

We present observations of intense beams of energetic negative hydrogen ions and fast neutral hydrogen atoms in intense (5 × 1019 W/cm2) laser plasma interaction experiments, which were quantified in numerical calculations. Generation of negative ions and neutral atoms is ascribed to the processes of electron capture and loss by a laser accelerated positive ion in the collisions with a cloud of droplets. A comparison with a numerical model of charge exchange processes provides information on the cross section of the electron capture in the high energy domain.