Laser-pulse compression in a collisional plasma under weak-relativistic ponderomotive nonlinearity

Journal Article · Sun May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4951722· OSTI ID:22600096

Singh, Mamta

We present theory and numerical analysis which demonstrate laser-pulse compression in a collisional plasma under the weak-relativistic ponderomotive nonlinearity. Plasma equilibrium density is modified due to the ohmic heating of electrons, the collisions, and the weak relativistic-ponderomotive force during the interaction of a laser pulse with plasmas. First, within one-dimensional analysis, the longitudinal self-compression mechanism is discussed. Three-dimensional analysis (spatiotemporal) of laser pulse propagation is also investigated by coupling the self-compression with the self-focusing. In the regime in which the laser becomes self-focused due to the weak relativistic-ponderomotive nonlinearity, we provide results for enhanced pulse compression. The results show that the matched interplay between self-focusing and self-compression can improve significantly the temporal profile of the compressed pulse. Enhanced pulse compression can be achieved by optimizing and selecting the parameters such as collision frequency, ion-temperature, and laser intensity.

• OSTI ID: 22600096
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, Issue 5; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COLLISIONAL PLASMA
COLLISIONS
COMPRESSION
ELECTRONS
FOCUSING
ION TEMPERATURE
LASERS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
OPTIMIZATION
PLASMA DENSITY
PONDEROMOTIVE FORCE
PULSES
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL LATTICES