‘‘Coulomb logarithm’’ for inverse-bremsstrahlung laser absorption

The ``Coulomb logarithm'' for inverse-bremsstrahlung laser absorption is examined for plasmas of different ionic charge, spanning the classical and quantum-mechanical limits. Previously, this term has not been calculated exactly for the conditions of interest in laser fusion experiments; it has only been estimated from physical considerations. For short-wavelength irradiation (e.g., 0.35 \ensuremath{\mu}m), uncertainties in the ``logarithmic'' factor can produce variations of 20--50 % in the laser absorption coefficient. A more exact treatment of this term is presented here. For low-Z plasmas, a modified Born approximation is used that reproduces previous results for long-range interactions that cannot be described by a single electron-ion collision, and it simultaneously treats the short-range electron-ion encounters. For high-Z plasmas, the Coulomb logarithm is calculated in terms of the classical, nonlinear electron trajectory in a self-consistent electrostatic potential; strong ion-ion correlations are treated by the nonlinear Debye-H\"uckel model. There are no indeterminate quantities in the calculations.