ELECTRON-ION RELAXATION IN A PLASMA INTERACTING WITH AN INTENSE LASER FIELD

The effect of an external high-frequency electromagnetic field on the electron-ion energy exchange rate in a plasma is considered. Particular consideration is given to very high intensities of the laser field and explicit analytical formulas are obtained for this case. The implication of the present approach for the more simple case of electron heating is also briefly considered. For practical use, simple interpolation formulas for the variation rate of the ion and electron temperatures are suggested, describing the entire region from zero intensity to extremely high intensities below the relativistic threshold.