Self-focusing and frequency broadening of laser pulse in water

Journal Article · Sat Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4901952· OSTI ID:22403250

Sati, Priti; Tripathi, V. K. ^[1]; Verma, Updesh ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016 (India)
2. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (United States)

An analytical model for the avalanche breakdown of water by an intense short laser pulse of finite spot size is developed. Initially, the laser undergoes self-focusing due to Kerr nonlinearity. As it acquires large intensity, it causes heating and avalanche breakdown of water. The plasma thus created on the laser axis causes nonlinear refraction induced defocusing of the laser. Thermal conduction tends to flatten the temperature profile and reduce the nonlinear refraction. The plasma density modification leads to frequency broadening of the laser.

• OSTI ID: 22403250
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 21, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
FOCUSING
LASERS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PLASMA DENSITY
PULSES
THERMAL CONDUCTION
WATER