Upper-limit power for self-guided propagation of intense lasers in underdense plasma
It is found that there is an upper-limit critical power for self-guided propagation of intense lasers in plasma in addition to the well-known lower-limit critical power set by the relativistic effect. Above this upper-limit critical power, the laser pulse experiences defocusing due to expulsion of l...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2013-09-01
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| Series: | High Power Laser Science and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2095471913000121/type/journal_article |
| Summary: | It is found that there is an upper-limit critical power for self-guided propagation of intense lasers in plasma in addition to the well-known lower-limit critical power set by the relativistic effect. Above this upper-limit critical power, the laser pulse experiences defocusing due to expulsion of local plasma electrons by the transverse ponderomotive force. Associated with the upper-limit power, a lower-limit critical plasma density is also found for a given laser spot size, below which self-focusing does not occur for any laser power. Both the upper-limit power and the lower-limit density are derived theoretically and verified by two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The present study provides new guidance for experimental designs, where self-guided propagation of lasers is essential. |
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| ISSN: | 2095-4719 2052-3289 |