Self-guiding of 100 TW femtosecond laser pulses in centimeter-scale underdense plasma

Journal Article · Sun Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2720374· OSTI ID:20974909

Chen, L M; Kotaki, H; Nakajima, K; Koga, J; Bulanov, S V; Tajima, T; Gu, Y Q; Peng, H S; Wang, X X; Wen, T S; Liu, H J; Jiao, C Y; Zhang, C G; Huang, X J; Guo, Y; Zhou, K N; Hua, J F; An, W M; Tang, C X; Lin, Y Z ^[1]

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1. Kansai Photon Science Institute, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kyoto 619-0215 (Japan)

An experiment for studying laser self-guiding has been carried out for the high power ultrashort pulse laser interaction with an underdense plasma slab. Formation of an extremely long plasma channel and its bending are observed when the laser pulse power is much higher than the critical power for relativistic self-focusing. The long self-guiding channel formation is accompanied by electron acceleration with a low transverse emittance and high electric current. Particle-in-cell simulations show that laser bending occurs when the accelerated electrons overtake the laser pulse and modify the refractive index in the region in front of the laser pulse.

• OSTI ID: 20974909
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 14; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRONS
FOCUSING
INTERACTIONS
LASERS
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
PLASMA
PLASMA SIMULATION
PULSES
REFRACTIVE INDEX
RELATIVISTIC RANGE