  The interaction of two lasers with a difference frequency near that of the
ambient plasma frequency produces beat waves that can resonantly accelerate
thermal electrons. These beat waves can be used to drive electron current and
thereby embed magnetic fields into the plasma [D. R. Welch et al., Phys. Rev.
Lett. 109, 225002 (2012)]. In this paper, we present two-dimensional
particle-in-cell simulations of the beat-wave current-drive process over a wide
range of angles between the injected lasers, laser intensities, and plasma
densities. We discuss the application of this technique to the magnetization of
dense plasmas, motivated in particular by the problem of forming high-beta
plasma targets in a standoff manner for magneto-inertial fusion. The
feasibility of a near-term experiment embedding magnetic fields using lasers
with micron-scale wavelengths into a $\sim 10^{18}$-cm$^{-3}$-density plasma is
assessed.

Plasma Physics