Title: Laser opacity in underdense preplasma of solid targets due to quantum electrodynamics effects,
Abstract: We investigate how next-generation laser pulses at 10 PW $-$ 200 PW interact
with a solid target in the presence of a relativistically underdense preplasma
produced by amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). Laser hole boring and
relativistic transparency are strongly restrained due to the generation of
electron-positron pairs and $\gamma$-ray photons via quantum electrodynamics
(QED) processes. A pair plasma with a density above the initial preplasma
density is formed, counteracting the electron-free channel produced by the hole
boring. This pair-dominated plasma can block the laser transport and trigger an
avalanche-like QED cascade, efficiently transfering the laser energy to
photons. This renders a 1-$\rm\mu m$-scalelength, underdense preplasma
completely opaque to laser pulses at this power level. The QED-induced opacity
therefore sets much higher contrast requirements for such pulse in solid-target
experiments than expected by classical plasma physics. Our simulations show for
example, that proton acceleration from the rear of a solid with a preplasma
would be strongly impaired.