Quantitative study of the ionization-induced refraction of picosecond laser pulses in gas-jet targets

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1996 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.76.1473· OSTI ID:284550

Mackinnon, A J; Borghesi, M; Iwase, A; Jones, M W; Pert, G J; Rae, S; Burnett, K; Willi, O ^[1]

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1. The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London SW7 2BZ (United Kingdom)

A quantitative study of refractive whole beam defocusing and small scale breakup induced by optical ionization of subpicosecond and picosecond, 0.25 and 1 {mu}m, laser pulses in gas-jet targets at densities above 1{times}10{sup 19} cm{sup {minus}3} has been carried out. A significant reduction of the incident laser intensity was observed due to refraction from ionization-induced density gradients. The level of refraction measured with optical probing correlated well with the fraction of energy transmitted through the plasma. The numerical and analytical models were found to agree well with experimental observations. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

• OSTI ID: 284550
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 76, Issue 9; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION
66 PHYSICS
IONIZATION
REFRACTION
LASER TARGETS
LASERS
GASES
JETS
PLASMA