Temporal Evolution of Self-Modulated Laser Wakefields Measured by Coherent Thomson Scattering

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1996 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.77.5377· OSTI ID:432534

Ting, A.; Krushelnick, K.; Moore, C. I.; Burris, H. R.; Esarey, E.; Krall, J.; Sprangle, P. ^[1]

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1. Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington , D.C. 20375 (United States)

Coherent Thomson scattering of a picosecond probe laser was used to measure the time evolution of plasma wakefields produced by a high intensity laser pulse (7{times}10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2}) in an underdense plasma ({ital n}{sub {ital e}}{approx_equal}10{sup 19} cm{sup {minus}3}) in the self-modulated laser wakefield accelerator configuration. Large amplitude plasma wakefields which lasted less than 5ps were observed to decay into ion acoustic waves. The time scales associated with these measurements were consistent with the effects of the modulational instability and the enhancement of scattered signal from plasma channel formation. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

• OSTI ID: 432534
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 27 Vol. 77; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
AMPLITUDES
COHERENT SCATTERING
FREQUENCY MODULATION
ION ACOUSTIC WAVES
LASERS
PLASMA
PULSES
SIGNALS
THOMSON SCATTERING
WAKEFIELD ACCELERATORS