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Title: Plasma expansion into a waveguide created by a linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulse

Abstract

We demonstrate the efficient generation of 4 mm and 8 mm long plasma waveguides in hydrogen and helium. These waveguides have matching spots sizes for 13 to 34 μm laser beams. The plasma waveguides are created by ultra-short laser pulses (sub-picosecond) of moderate intensities, ∼10{sup 15}–10{sup 16} W cm{sup −2}, that heat the plasma to initial temperatures of tens of eV in order to create a hot plasma column that will expand into a plasma waveguide. We have determined that the main heating mechanism when using fs laser pulses and plasma densities ∼10{sup 18–19} cm{sup −3} is Above Threshold Ionization. Detailed time and space electron density measurements are presented for the laser produced plasma waveguides.

Authors:
; ; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. GoLP/Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear – Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior Técnico, 1049-001 Lisbon (Portugal)
  2. University of Strathclyde, Department of Physics, Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow, G4 0NG (United Kingdom)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22228045
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 20; Journal Issue: 6; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ELECTRON DENSITY; HELIUM; HOT PLASMA; HYDROGEN; IONIZATION; LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA; LASERS; PLASMA DENSITY; PLASMA EXPANSION; PLASMA HEATING; PULSES; WAVEGUIDES

Citation Formats

Lemos, N., Grismayer, T., Cardoso, L., Figueira, G., Dias, J. M., Issac, R., and Jaroszynski, D. A. Plasma expansion into a waveguide created by a linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulse. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4810797.
Lemos, N., Grismayer, T., Cardoso, L., Figueira, G., Dias, J. M., Issac, R., & Jaroszynski, D. A. Plasma expansion into a waveguide created by a linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulse. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4810797
Lemos, N., Grismayer, T., Cardoso, L., Figueira, G., Dias, J. M., Issac, R., and Jaroszynski, D. A. 2013. "Plasma expansion into a waveguide created by a linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulse". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4810797.
@article{osti_22228045,
title = {Plasma expansion into a waveguide created by a linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulse},
author = {Lemos, N. and Grismayer, T. and Cardoso, L. and Figueira, G. and Dias, J. M. and Issac, R. and Jaroszynski, D. A.},
abstractNote = {We demonstrate the efficient generation of 4 mm and 8 mm long plasma waveguides in hydrogen and helium. These waveguides have matching spots sizes for 13 to 34 μm laser beams. The plasma waveguides are created by ultra-short laser pulses (sub-picosecond) of moderate intensities, ∼10{sup 15}–10{sup 16} W cm{sup −2}, that heat the plasma to initial temperatures of tens of eV in order to create a hot plasma column that will expand into a plasma waveguide. We have determined that the main heating mechanism when using fs laser pulses and plasma densities ∼10{sup 18–19} cm{sup −3} is Above Threshold Ionization. Detailed time and space electron density measurements are presented for the laser produced plasma waveguides.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4810797},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22228045}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 6,
volume = 20,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Sat Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}