Hot electron generation from intense laser irradiation of microtipped cone and wedge targets

X-ray production from the interaction of femtosecond laser pulses focused to relativistic intensity into re-entrant targets etched into silicon has been investigated. Kα and hard x-ray yields were compared when the laser was focused into pyramidal shaped cone targets and wedge shaped targets. Hot electron production is highest in the wedge targets irradiated with transverse polarization, though Kα is maximized with wedge targets and parallel polarization. These results are explained with particle-in-cell simulations.