Self-focusing and guiding of short laser pulses in ionizing gases and plasmas
- Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States). Plasma Physics Div.
The propagation of intense laser pulses in gases and plasmas is relevant to a wide range of applications, including laser-driven accelerators, laser-plasma channeling, harmonic generation, supercontinuum generation, X-ray lasers, and laser-fusion schemes. Here, several features of intense, short-pulse ({le}1 ps) laser propagation in gases undergoing ionization and in plasmas are reviewed, discussed, and analyzed. The wave equations for laser pulse propagation in a gas undergoing ionization and in a plasma are derived. The source-dependent expansion method is discussed, which is a general method for solving the paraxial wave equation with nonlinear source terms. In gases, the propagation of high-power (near the critical power) laser pulses is considered including the effects of diffraction, nonlinear self-focusing, ionization, and plasma generation. Self-guided solutions and the stability of these solutions are discussed. In plasmas, optical guiding by relativistic effects, ponderomotive effects, and preformed density channels is considered. The self-consistent plasma response is discussed, including plasma wave effects and instabilities such as self-modulation. Recent experiments on the guiding of laser pulses in gases and in plasmas are briefly summarized.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Office of Naval Research, Washington, DC (United States); USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 562007
- Journal Information:
- IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, Journal Name: IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 33; ISSN 0018-9197; ISSN IEJQA7
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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