Filamentation of a laser beam in a collisional plasma
In this paper we have studied the filamentation of a laser beam in a collisional plasma when the nonlinearity in the dielectric constant arises due to nonuniform heating and redistribution of electrons. For small-scale fluctuations (r/sub 0/< (m/sub i//m)/sup 1///sup 2/ lambda/sub m/, where r/sub 0/ is the beam radius, m/sub i/ is the ion mass, m is the electron mass, and lambda/sub m/ is the electron mean free path), the energy balance of electrons is mainly determined by thermal conduction. The growth rate of perturbation decreases rapidly with decreasing size of perturbation. For large-scale fluctuations, the energy balance is mainly through collisions and the growth rate decreases with the scale length of perturbation. Maximum growth rate is obtained for some optimum value of scale length. The growth rate also has a maximum for some optimum value of intensity of the main beam.
- Research Organization:
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
- OSTI ID:
- 7315951
- Journal Information:
- J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 48:8; ISSN JAPIA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
700108* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Wave Phenomena
COLLISIONAL PLASMA
COLLISIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
LASER RADIATION
PLASMA
RADIATIONS
THERMAL CONDUCTION
WAVE PROPAGATION