Study of Dynamics of Plasma Produced due to Self-Focussed Laser Beam on a Cylindrical Target

The variation of density and flow speed of ions in a laser produced plasma as function of the intensity of the wave for different beam width parameter is studied. It is found that self-focusing of the beam increases the density and decreases the velocity in the overdense region whereas it decreases the density and increases the velocity in the underdense region.     

Few-cycle relativistic solitons in plasmas

A set of exact one-dimensional solutions to coupled nonlinear equations describing the propagation of a relativistic ultrashort circularly polarized laser pulse in a cold collisionless and bounded plasma where electrons have an initial velocity in the laser propagating direction is presented. The solutions investigated here are in the form of quickly moving envelop solitons at a propagation velocity comparable to the light speed. The features of solitons in both underdense and overdense plasmas with electrons having different given initial velocities in the laser propagating direction are described. It is found that the amplitude of solitons is larger and soliton width shorter in plasmas where electrons have a larger initial velocity. In overdense plasmas, soliton duration is shorter, the amplitude higher than that in underdense plasmas where electrons have the same initial velocity.     

The anomalous penetration of intense circularly polarized electromagnetic beam through overdense magnetized plasma

The steady state nonlinear propagation of an intense, circularly polarized electromagnetic beam in an inhomogeneous magnetized plasma has been investigated in paraxial approximation. The laser induces a large oscillatory velocity on electrons, raising their mass and lowering the plasma frequency. Further, rising due to cyclotron resonance effect. The propagation of the electromagnetic waves in magnetized plasma in both the extraordinary and ordinary mode is analyzed. The nonlinearity in dielectric function is considered in presence of external magnetic field due to saturation effects for arbitrary large intensity, which leads to focusing/defocusing of the beam. The focusing effect along with magnetic field helps in the process of anomalous penetration of the beam by enhancing the depletion of the plasma from the axial region. The penetration increases with the incident beam power up to some critical value beyond which it rises abruptly when all electrons have been driven out of the axis. The cyclotron resonance effect awfully supports the laser beam to propagate inside the overdense plasma region. Numerical computations are performed for typical parameters of relativistic laser–plasma interaction applicable for underdense and overdense plasma.     

Particle Simulation of Relativistic Laser Pulse Density Channeling

Two-dimensional particle simulation is carried out to study the interaction between a high-intensity finite-size spot laser beam and a plasma with linear density profile. The laser is allowed to propagate in underdense corona until it is cut off near the critical surface. The intense laser can drive various instabilities through particle collective motion and result in electron heating,while relativistic effect and ponderomotive force can bring strong energy absorption and electron heating in the overdense region. As the laser beam is nonuniform in the transverse direction,a density channel forms and hole boring effect occurs as a result of strong ponderomotive force pushing particle outwards. These processes can be investigated well by particle simulation.     

超短超强激光与稀薄等离子体相互作用的数值研究

用一维粒子模拟方法（Ｐａｒｔｉｃｌｅ－ｉｎ－Ｃｅｌｌ）数值研究了超短超强激光（Ｉλ＾２〉１０＾１８Ｗ．μｍ＾２／ｃｍ＾２）与稀薄等离子体的相互作用过程，结果表明，超短超强激光与稀薄等相互作用后，在等离子体中激发起尾波和拉曼（Ｒａｍａｎ）波，它们的波长和频率的值与解析解符合得很好；同时在尾波的作用下，等离子体的部分电子被加速的很高的速度，甚至接近光速。     

Particle simulation on electron acceleration process by the laser ponderomotive force in inhomogeneous underdense plasma layers

The mechanism of electron ponderomotive acceleration due to increasing group velocity of laser pulse in inhomogeneous underdense plasma layers is studied by two-dimensional relativistic parallel particle-in-cell code. The electrons within the laser pulse move with it and can be strongly accelerated ponderomotively when the duration of laser pulse is much shorter than the duration of optimum condition for acceleration in the wake. The extra energy gain can be attributed to the change of laser group velocity. More high energy electrons are generated in the plasma layer with descending density profile than that with ascending density profile. The process and character of electron acceleration in three kinds of underdense plasma layers are presented and compared.     

A planar perturbation of the Bianchi type I metric

The standard procedure for finding analytic perturbations in General Relativity suffers from the drawback that it is cumbersome to use beyond linear order perturbations. Following up on our previous work, we continue to use an alternate method of finding perturbations. We find a plane symmetric perturbation of the cosmological Bianchi type I metric. The perturbation corresponds to a fluid with heat flow moving perpendicularly to a singular plane in a region which can be made to be either overdense or underdense relative to the background spacetime. The fluid satisfies both the Strong and Dominant energy conditions everywhere except the region close to the singularity.     

On the effect of long-wavelength electron plasma waves onlarge-angle stimulated Raman scattering of short laser pulse in plasmas

Spectral features of a large-angle stimulated Raman scattering (LA SRS) of a short electromagnetic pulse in an underdense plasma, which are caused by the presence in a plasma of a given linear long-wavelength electron plasma wave (LW EPW), are investigated. It is shown that the LW EPW, whose phase velocity coincides with a group velocity of a pulse and a density perturbation normalized to a background electron density δn_LW/n₀ exceeds the ratio of the electron plasma frequency to the laser frequency ω_pe/ω₀ suppresses the well-known Stokes branch of the weakly coupled LA SRS. Under the same condition, the anti-Stokes band appears in the spectrum of the scattered radiation. Variation of a scattering angle and an electron temperature do not significantly modify qualitative features of the effect. In the case of strongly coupled LA SRS, the maximum of the increment is decreased by nearly one-half for δn_LW/n₀~(a₀ω_pe /ω₀)^2/3≫ω_pe /ω₀, where a₀ is an amplitude of an electron quiver velocity in the laser field normalized to a speed of light c, and it decreases further with an increase in plasma density perturbation in LW EPW     

Relativistic laser plasmas for novel radiation sources

Relativistic laser-plasma interaction results in new sources of short-pulsed x-ray radiation. Here we consider two options. The first one is betatron radiation of electrons accelerated in underdense plasmas and oscillating in transverse fields of the laser wake. This radiation is incoherent and broadband, the pulse duration is comparable with that of the driving laser. The second option is the high harmonic generation (HHG) from overdense plasma surfaces. This radiation is coherent. The relativistic high harmonics are phase locked and emerge in the form of (sub-)attosecond pulses. One- and three-dimensional regimes of relativistic HHG from overdense plasmas are considered.     

Using the Steepened Plasma Profile and Wave Breaking Threshold in Laser‐Plasma Interaction

In this work we evaluate the interaction of high intense laser beam with a steepened density profile. During laser interaction with underdense plasma by freely expanding plasma regime, modification of density profile is possible. In this paper we have investigated the ultra short laser pulse interaction with nonisothermal and collisionless plasma. We consider self–focusing as an effective nonlinear phenomenon that tends to increase when the laser power is more than critical rate. By leading the expanded plasma to a preferred location near to critical density, laser reflection is obtained, so the density profile will be locally steepened. The electromagnetic fields are evaluated in this new profile. We show the amplitude and period of electrical field oscillation are increased by reducing the steepened scale length. Also our numerical results identify that by reducing the steepened scale length, the electrical field is increased to wave breaking threshold limit. This high gradient electrical field causes the effective beam loading during the wave breaking phenomenon. The wave breaking can be the initial point for other acceleration regime as cavity or channel guiding regime. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Spatio-temporal development of the filaments due to the thermal self-focusing instability near the critical surface in ionospheric plasmas

We study fully nonlinear spatio-temporal development of the thermal self-focusing instability of high-power radio waves near the critical surface of the ionosphere. These simulations improve on our earlier work by including an evolution equation for the density instead of using the assumption of constant pressure to determine the perturbed density connected with the known temperature perturbation. Using our two-dimensional nonlinear code we analyze the time scale and associated velocity for the development of the field-aligned irregularities as they spread from the critical surface both in the underdense as well as the overdense regions. The scaling of this velocity as a function of the radiated power of the heater electromagnetic wave (ERP) is determined. We also study the characteristic size of the self-focused filament as a function of ERP. Finally, the spectrum of the density and temperature fluctuations as well as modifications in the equilibrium values of these parameters for different values of ERP are presented. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 42, No. 7, pp. 670–681, July 1999.     

Observation of Raman forward scattering and electron accelerationin the relativistic regime

Raman forward scattering (RFS) is observed in the interaction of a high intensity (>10¹⁸ W/cm²) short pulse (<1 ps) laser with an underdense plasma (n_e~10¹⁹ cm ^-3). Electrons are trapped and accelerated up to 44 MeV by the high-amplitude plasma wave produced by RFS. The laser spectrum is strongly modulated by the interaction, showing sidebands at the plasma frequency. Furthermore, as the quiver velocity of the electrons in the high electric field of the laser beam becomes relativistic, various effects are observed which can be attributed to the variation of electron mass with laser intensity     

强激光和稠密等离子体相互作用产生的三次谐波

研究了超强激光和均匀及线性梯度高密度等离子体相互作用产生的三次谐波，特别研究了等离子体密度为四倍临界密度时的情形，这可能是用相对论效应产生高效谐波的最佳密度。     

超短超强激光与稀薄等离子体相互作用中后孤立子的观测

开展了超短超强激光与稀薄等离子体相互作用实验,在实验中采用等离子体单色成像法观测等离子体发光图像,捕捉到了近乎对称的环形等离子体发光结构. 在对实验结果进行分析并与理论预言进行比较后确认这是由激光-等离子体相互作用形成的后孤立子云外围的高密度等离子体壳层发光所致. 同时通过对等离子体通道的观测还发现,孤立子的形成对超短超强激光在稀薄等离子体中的传输产生了非常大的影响. 关键词： 超短超强激光 稀薄等离子体 单色成像 后孤立子     

周期量级超短激光脉冲在近临界密度等离子体中形成的光孤子

利用一维粒子模拟程序，观测到周期量级的超短激光脉冲在等离子体中可以以孤子形式传播.它在一定密度等离子体中以较高的群速度向前传播，并在到达等离子体与真空界面时发生反射和透射.当入射激光脉冲强度增大时，非线性调制效应使它产生较大的频率下移，致使光孤子传播速度变小.另外，对于同样光强下的几十个周期以上的光脉冲，它在等离子体中传播时形成的则是一连串低频的被捕获在等离子体中的光孤子. 关键词： 光孤子 超短激光脉冲 等离子体 粒子模拟     

Nonlinear pulse propagation and phase velocity of laser-driven plasma waves

Laser evolution and plasma wave excitation by a relativistically intense short-pulse laser in underdense plasma are investigated in the broad pulse limit, including the effects of pulse steepening, frequency redshifting, and energy depletion. The nonlinear plasma wave phase velocity is shown to be significantly lower than the laser group velocity and further decreases as the pulse propagates owing to laser evolution. This lowers the thresholds for trapping and wave breaking and reduces the energy gain and efficiency of laser-plasma accelerators that use a uniform plasma profile.     

Laser-hole boring into overdense plasmas measured with soft X-Ray laser probing

A laser self-focused channel formation into overdense plasmas was observed using a soft x-ray laser probe system with a grid image refractometry (GIR) technique. 1.053 &mgr;m laser light with a 100 ps pulse duration was focused onto a preformed plasma at an intensity of 2x10(17) W/cm (2). Cross sections of the channel were obtained which show a 30 &mgr;m diameter in overdense plasmas. The channel width in the overdense region was kept narrow as a result of self-focusing. Conically diverging density ridges were also observed along the channel, indicating a Mach cone created by a shock wave due to the supersonic propagation of the channel front.     

纳米流体的激光自混频功率谱密度研究

纳米流体运动特性和颗粒参数的测量对纳米流体换热效率的研究具有重要意义。本文将激光自混频技术应用于纳米流体测量中,给出了自混频信号功率谱密度函数的表达式并实验研究其变化规律。研究结果表明,功率谱密度展宽具有佛克脱函数的形式。激光垂直入射流动样品池时,功率谱密度得到展宽,展宽程度随着定向流速的增大或束腰半径的减小而增大。激光倾斜入射流动样品池时,功率谱密度在展宽的同时还伴随多普勒峰移,其位置随着定向流速的增大或散射矢量与定向流速之夹角的减小而迁移至高频。     

Numerical investigation of non-local electron transport in laser-produced plasmas

Non-local electron transport in laser-produced plasmas under inertial confinement fusion (ICF) conditions is studied based on Fokker-Planck (FP) and hydrodynamic simulations. A comparison between the classical Spitzer--H\"arm (SH) transport model and non-local transport models has been made. The result shows that among those non-local models the Epperlein and Short (ES) model of heat flux is in reasonable agreement with the FP simulation in overdense region. However, the non-local models are invalid in the hot underdense plasmas. Hydrodynamic simulation is performed with the flux limiting model and the non-local model, separately. The simulation results show that in the underdense region of the laser-produced plasmas the temperature given by the flux limiting model is significantly higher than that given with the non-local model.     

Ion acceleration by superintense laser pulses in plasmas

Ion acceleration by petawatt laser radiation in underdense and overdense plasmas is studied with 2D3V-PIC (Particle in Cell) numerical simulations. These simulations show that the laser pulse drills a channel through the plasma slab, and electrons and ions expand in vacuum. Fast electrons escape first from the electron-ion cloud. Later, ions gain a high energy on account of the Coulomb explosion of the cloud and the inductive electric field which appears due to fast change of the magnetic field generated by the laser pulse. Similarly, when a superintense laser pulse interacts with a thin slab of overdense plasma, its ponderomotive pressure blows all the electrons away from a finite-diameter spot on the slab. Then, due to the Coulomb explosion, ions gain an energy as high as 1 GeV. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 70, No. 2, 80–86 (25 July 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.