Nonlinear interaction of intense laser pulses in plasmas. Interim report

Technical Report · Fri Dec 22 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6908655

Sprangle, P; Esarey, E; Ting, A

A nonlinear 1D theory is developed which describes some important aspects of intense laser-plasma interactions. The self-consistent laser-plasma analysis included nonlinear plasma wakefield generation, relativistic optical guiding, coherent harmonic radiation production, as well as other related phenomena. Relativistic optical guiding is found to be most effective for long laser pulses having slow rise times. Short laser pulses are shown to be weakly guided. Coherent harmonic generation using a linearly polarized laser is found to be most efficient for short laser pulses and can be enhanced by the presence of large amplitude plasma wakefields. Aspects of particle acceleration by laser pulses as well as possible methods for upshifting the frequency of laser pulses are also discussed.

• Research Organization: Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6908655
• Report Number(s): AD-A-217604/8/XAB; NRL-MR--6545
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
430100* -- Particle Accelerators-- Design
Development
& Operation
ACCELERATORS
AMPLITUDES
DESIGN
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY TRANSFER
FREQUENCY MIXING
HARMONIC GENERATION
HARMONICS
INTERACTIONS
LASER RADIATION
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
OSCILLATIONS
PLASMA
POLARIZATION
PRODUCTION
PROGRESS REPORT
PULSES
RADIATIONS
WAKEFIELD ACCELERATORS