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Parametric excitation of surface plasma waves in an overdense plasma irradiated by an ultrashort laser pulse

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2779874· OSTI ID:21062039
;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi-110016 (India)
A high power laser, obliquely incident on a vacuum-plasma interfac,e (x=0), resonantly drives plasma oscillations at the second harmonic when 2{omega}{sub 0}={omega}{sub p}, where {omega}{sub p} is the plasma frequency and {omega}{sub 0} is the frequency of the laser. The plasma oscillations parametrically excite a pair of counterpropagating surface plasma waves ({omega},k{sub z}) and ({omega}{sub 1},k{sub 1z}) when {omega}={omega}{sub 1}-2{omega}{sub 0}, k{sub z}=k{sub 1z}-2k{sub 0z}, where k{sub 0z} is the component of the incident laser wave vector parallel to the interface. The growth rate is maximum for normal incidence of the laser and decreases with the angle of incidence. In a mildly relativistic case, the relativistic mass variation of plasma electrons and collisions detune the second harmonic resonance, lowering the growth rate.
OSTI ID:
21062039
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 14; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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