Propagation of intense laser pulses in strongly magnetized plasmas

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4922228· OSTI ID:22412543

Ge, Z. Y.; Xu, B. B.; Zhuo, H. B.; Ma, Y. Y.; Shao, F. Q. ^[1]; Xu, H. ^[2]; Borghesi, M. ^[3]

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1. College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073 (China)
2. School of Computer Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073 (China)
3. School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom)

Propagation of intense circularly polarized laser pulses in strongly magnetized inhomogeneous plasmas is investigated. It is shown that a left-hand circularly polarized laser pulse propagating up the density gradient of the plasma along the magnetic field is reflected at the left-cutoff density. However, a right-hand circularly polarized laser can penetrate up the density gradient deep into the plasma without cutoff or resonance and turbulently heat the electrons trapped in its wake. Results from particle-in-cell simulations are in good agreement with that from the theory.

• OSTI ID: 22412543
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 106, Issue 22; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
INHOMOGENEOUS PLASMA
LASERS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PULSES
SIMULATION
TRAPPING