Induced transparency and parametric instabilities in the relativistic regime of the laser plasma interaction

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.49042· OSTI ID:279530

Adam, J C; Heron, A; Guerin, S; Laval, G; Mora, P ^[1]

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1. Centre de Physique Theorique de lEcole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France)

An electromagnetic wave is expected to propagate through an overdense plasma, provided that its amplitude is large enough to bring the electron motion into the relativistic regime. We study this induced transparency by using 1D and 2D particle simulations. We find that large chaotic longitudinal electric fields are generated and strong plasma heating takes place during the propagation. This behavior is attributed to parametric instabilities. In order to support this interpretation, the modulational and Raman instabilities of a relativistic electromagnetic wave are studied analytically as well as with the help of particle simulations. In addition it is found that a finite width beam is strongly self focused {copyright} {ital 1995 American Institute of Physics.}

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 279530
• Report Number(s): CONF-9410130-; ISSN 0094-243X; TRN: 96:023390
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 345, Issue 1; Conference: 1994 International Conference on Plasma Physics, Foz do Iguacu (Brazil), 24 Oct - 4 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION
RELATIVISTIC PLASMA
LASER RADIATION
WAVE PROPAGATION
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PARAMETRIC INSTABILITIES
PLASMA SIMULATION
PLASMA HEATING
FOCUSING
DENSE PLASMA