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Title: Two-dimensional self-focusing of short intense laser pulse in underdense plasma

Journal Article · · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860923· OSTI ID:6706216
;  [1]
  1. Laboratory of Plasma Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (United States)

A simplified set of three-dimensional equations are derived for the propagation of an intense laser pulse of arbitrary strength [bold a]=[ital e][bold A]/[ital mc][sup 2] (where [bold A] is the magnetic vector potential of the laser pulse) in cold underdense plasma. In different limits, the equations can be easily reduced to those of previous one-dimensional models [Phys. Fluids [bold 30], 526 (1987); Phys. Rev. A [bold 40], 3230 (1989); [bold 41], 4463 (1990)]. For [vert bar][bold a][vert bar][le]1, an approximate set of equations from the averaged Lagrangian is obtained. The present study differs from previous work in that wave dispersion is also important for short laser pulse, and is included in the model equations. The axisymmetric two-dimensional model equations are solved numerically to show the effect of dispersion in the self-focusing process.

OSTI ID:
6706216
Journal Information:
Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Vol. 5:4; ISSN 0899-8221
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English