Self-focusing of short intense pulses in plasmas

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.866349· OSTI ID:7013679

Sun, G; Ott, E; Lee, Y C; Guzdar, P

The self-focusing of relativistically intense laser light pulses is analyzed, where the pulse length is short enough that ion inertia prevents any significant motion of ions. Self-focusing occurs as a result of an increase of the wave refractive index arising from two effects: the mass increase of electrons caused by their relativistic quiver velocity in the light wave, and the reduction of the electron density as a result of ponderomotive force expulsion of the electrons. The latter effect is significant even for rather small values of (P-P/sub L/)/P/sub L/, where P is the laser beam power and P/sub L/ is the critical power above which self-focusing occurs. In fact, for (P-P/sub L/)/P/sub L/approx. >0.1 the effect is so strong that all electrons are expelled within a core radial region of the self-focused laser light channel (this new phenomenon is called electron cavitation).

• Research Organization: Laboratory for Plasma and Fusion Energy Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
• OSTI ID: 7013679
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 30:2; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700108* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Wave Phenomena
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
DATA
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY RANGE
FOCUSING
INFORMATION
LASER RADIATION
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
NUMERICAL DATA
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA
PULSES
RADIATIONS
REFRACTIVITY
RELATIVISTIC RANGE