$\pi$-PIC: a framework for modular particle-in-cell developments and simulations

Frida Brogren; Christoffer Olofsson; Joel Magnusson; Arkady Gonoskov

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arXiv · 2511.09950

$\pi$-PIC: a framework for modular particle-in-cell developments and simulations

Frida Brogren·Christoffer Olofsson·Joel Magnusson·Arkady Gonoskov

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Abstract

Particle-in-cell (PIC) codes are indispensable tools for studying plasma-based interactions across a wide range of physical regimes. The predictive capabilities of these codes have dramatically increased by continuous advances in algorithms and computing hardware. Nevertheless, greater computational performance and broader framework capabilities often lead to increased software complexity, hindering the adoption, evaluation, and comparison of new numerical developments. In this work, we present a Python-controlled framework designed to facilitate the dissemination and adoption of novel PIC developments by providing a unified interface for accommodation, cross-testing, and comparison of PIC algorithms. To demonstrate the flexibility of the proposed interface, we implement and discuss a range of PIC schemes together with applications involving absorbing boundary layers, moving-window simulations, and tight laser focusing.

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Frida Brogren, Christoffer Olofsson, Joel Magnusson, Arkady Gonoskov. 2025-11-13. $\pi$-PIC: a framework for modular particle-in-cell developments and simulations. https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.09950

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