Temporal Characterization of a Self-Modulated Laser Wakefield

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.77.5381· OSTI ID:432535

Le Blanc, S P; Downer, M C; Wagner, R; Chen, S; Maksimchuk, A; Mourou, G; Umstadter, D ^[1]

---

1. Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States)

The temporal envelope of plasma density oscillations in the wake of an intense ({ital I}{approximately}4{times}10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2}, {lambda}=1 {mu}m) laser pulse (400 fs) is measured using forward Thomson scattering from a copropagating, frequency-doubled probe pulse. The wakefield oscillations in a fully ionized helium plasma ({ital n}{sub {ital e}}=3{times}10{sup 19} cm{sup {minus}3}) are observed to reach maximum amplitude ({delta}{ital n}{sub {ital e}}/{ital n}{sub {ital e}}{approximately}0.1) 300 fs after the pump pulse. The wakefield growth (3.5 ps{sup {minus}1}) and decay (1.9 ps{sup {minus}1}) rates are consistent with the forward Raman scattering instability and Landau damping, respectively. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

• DOE Contract Number: FG03-96ER40954
• OSTI ID: 432535
• 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
DENSITY
FREQUENCY MODULATION
HELIUM IONS
LANDAU DAMPING
LASERS
OSCILLATIONS
PLASMA
PULSES
RAMAN EFFECT
THOMSON SCATTERING
WAKEFIELD ACCELERATORS