A simple model for spectra of laser radiation backscattered from an unstable inhomogeneous plasma

It is shown that phase modulation causes the occurrence of harmonics and satellites in the reflected spectrum and subharmonics and harmonics of half integer order in the Raman scattered light.     

Time-resolved studies of backscattered light from a plasma generated by a 0.52 μm laser

A frequency doubled Nd glass laser was used to irradiate plane solid targets. Temporally and spectrally resolved measurements of the backscattered light were obtained together with calorimeter measurements of the backreflected energy. The results show the presence of stimulated Brillouin scattering and an estimate is made of the coronal electron temperature.     

Low-frequency transition radiation from a short laser pulse at the plasma boundary

The transition radiation that appears when a short laser pulse crosses the vacuum-plasma boundary and that is attributable to an vortex electric current produced at the plasma boundary by averaged ponderomotive forces has been considered for the first time. The spectral, angular, and spatiotemporal characteristics of the transition radiation in a vacuum are analyzed. It is shown that under typical conditions of present-day laser plasma experiments, the frequency of the transition radiation lies in the terahertz range and its power can reach several megawatts.     

Absorption of laser radiation in ultracold plasma

In this paper, we analyze the spectral behavior(optical thickness, shape and linewidth) of laser radiation absorption under the correlation heating of ions in an ultracold plasma. The Voigt formula is used to find the absorption coefficient.The spectral line width is shown to grow with time while the optical thickness reduces. Our modeling results are in good agreement with the experimental findings reported in the literature.     

Self-focusing of laser radiation in cluster plasma

The self-focusing of laser radiation in plasma with ionized gaseous clusters is studied both analytically and numerically. An electrodynamic model is proposed for cluster plasma in a field of ultrashort laser pulse. The radiation self-action dynamics are studied using the equation for wave-field envelope with allowance for the electronic nonlinearity of the expanded plasma bunches and the group-velocity dispersion in a nanodispersive medium. It is shown that, for a laser power exceeding the self-focusing critical power, the wave-field self-compression occurs in a medium with dispersion of any type (normal, anomalous, or combined). Due to the strong dependence of the characteristic nonlinear field on the size of ionized cluster, the corresponding processes develop faster than in a homogeneous medium and give rise to the ultrashort pulses.     

Self-action of laser radiation in cluster plasma

We have analytically and numerically studied the self-action dynamics of laser radiation in a plasma with ionized gas clusters. Based on the simplified model of a cluster in the form of a superposition of two charged (electron and ion) bunches, we analyze the nonlinearity mechanisms. We refine the electrodynamic cluster model by the molecular dynamics method. The polarization behavior of the plasma bunch in the main part of the laser pulse is shown to be the same as that in the simplified model. We investigate the self-action dynamics of laser radiation under conditions when the nonlinearity of the stratified medium is determined by the anharmonicity of the electron motion in the cluster, while the group velocity dispersion is determined by both the background plasma and the ionized clusters. Since the characteristic field for the electron nonlinearity depends strongly on the cluster size, the peculiarities of the self-action dynamics result from plasma bunch expansion. The spatiotemporal evolution of the wave field is shown to be accompanied by pulse self-compression near the trailing edge.     

A cadmium photoionization laser pumped by laser induced plasma radiation from a multi foci device

Soft x-rays from a laser-produced plasma were used to perform innershell photoionization of Cd atoms and to generate laser radiation at 442 nm. To achieve longer interaction zones between the Cd vapor and the soft x-ray flux, up to three plasma spots have been applied. In this way a maximum laser energy of 300 J with a 600 mJ Nd:YAG laser for the plasma production was achieved. Experimental investigations and corresponding rate-equation calculations indicate, that photoelectrons play an important role in the total laser kinetics.     

X-ray radiation of laser plasma of carbon nanotubes

Experimental results on the spatial distribution of X-ray radiation of the plasma generated by nanosecond laser radiation incident on a target made of carbon nanotubes are presented and compared with the results obtained for solid-state magnesium targets.     

Experimental investigations of fast-proton production in a picosecond laser plasma

Results of experimental investigations of fast-proton production in a laser plasma are presented for the case where the intensity of laser radiation at the targets is 2 × 10¹⁸ W/cm². Three processes of fast-proton acceleration in laser plasma are investigated: (1) the acceleration of protons from the front surface toward the laser pulse, (ii) the acceleration of protons from the front surface of the target toward its interior, and (iii) the acceleration of protons from the rear foil surface in the outward direction. The activation procedure and CR-39 tracker detectors featuring a set of various-thickness aluminum filters were used to record fast protons. It turned out that the proton-acceleration process is the most efficient in the case of proton acceleration from the rear foil surface in the outward direction. Experimental results revealed that about N _p = 10⁷ protons of energy in the region E _p > 1.9 MeV that are accelerated from the target surface toward a laser ray, N _p = 4× 10⁷ protons of energy in the region E _p > 1.9 MeV that are accelerated fromthe front surface of the target toward its interior, and N _p = 4×10⁸ protons of energy in the region E _p > 1.9 MeV that are accelerated from the rear foil surface in the outward direction are generated at a laser-radiation intensity of 2 × 10¹⁸ W/cm² at the surface of aluminum, copper, and titanium targets. Experimental investigations aimed at optimizing the process of proton acceleration from the rear surface of aluminum foils were performed by varying the foil thickness over the range between 1 and 100 μm. The results of these experiments showed that there is an optimum foil thickness of 10 μm, in which case protons of maximum energy 5 MeV are generated.     

Heterodyne detection of CO2 laser radiation scattered from a plasma arc jet

Observations have been made of CO₂ laser radiation scattered incoherently from an argon arc jet plasma. The heterodyne detection technique employed is discussed.     

Observation of optical transition radiation from electron beams generated by laser plasma accelerator

Laser plasma accelerators (LPAs) have made great progress, achieving electron beam with energy up to 1 GeV from a centimeter scale capillary plasma waveguide. Here, we report the measurement of optical transition radiation (OTR) from the capillary-based LPA electron beams. Transition radiation images, produced by electrons passing through two separate foils (located at 2.3 m and 3.8 m away from the exit of the LPA) were recorded with a high resolution imaging system, respectively. Two magnetic quadrupole lenses were placed right after the capillary to focus and collimate the electron beams. Significant localized spikes appeared in the OTR images when the electron beam was focused by the magnetic quadrupole lenses, indicating the coherence of the radiation and the existence of ultrashort longitudinal structures inside the electron beam.     

Polarization of the high harmonics of radiation in a laser plasma

The polarization of the high harmonics generated in plasmas by the bremsstrahlung of electrons oscillating under the influence of high-power plasma-heating electromagnetic radiation is described on the basis of a simple model of a cold plasma. It is shown that when the polarization of the heating radiation differs from plane polarization by a small but finite amount, the high harmonics are generated with almost perpendicular polarization, and the degree of circular polarization of the harmonics increases with the number of the harmonic. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 5, 313–316 (10 March 1998)     

Theory of the interaction of intense laser radiation with magnetoactive plasma

Analytical expressions for the density of magnetoactive plasma perturbed by circularly polarized relativistically strong laser radiation are obtained.     

Coefficient of reflection of laser radiation from a dense plasma and the region of anomalous absorption

The time dependence of the coefficient of reflection of laser radiation from a dense plasma is studied in this paper for reverse stopping and anomalous (decay of pumping wave by ionic sound and electron Langmuir oscillation,tl+s) mechanisms, and the region of anomalous absorption is determined.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 11, pp. 79–82, November, 1976.The author thanks E. E. Lovetskti, V. S. Fetisov, and V. T. Tikhonchuk for useful discussions.     

激光脉冲对内层等离子体辐射源的影响

本文的基本思想是设计双层金铝薄膜靶以检测激光脉冲宽度与等离子体消融深度的关系,找出有效的等离子体加热方法以产生更强更亮的等离子体辐射源.由于有预脉冲激光的存在,表层金薄膜首先被消融,由主脉冲携带的大能量就能较易穿过表层金等离子体将能量聚焦在内层铝靶上,由此产生内层高温等离子体.又由于外层低温等离子体存在,其将有效的阻碍内高温等离子体因膨胀而引起的能量损失.对无预脉冲而言,直接入射激光能量都沉积在靶表层形成表层高温等离子体.但是激光直接入射而产生的等离子体辐射总强度只比由预脉冲情况下产生的金等离子体辐射强度增加15%.而预脉冲能量只占激光总能量的2%.实验结果显示Al光谱线主要来自类氢,类氦离子跃迁.Au等离子体光谱线主要来自它的N带,O带和P带谱.我们也观察到一个明显的软X射线短波发射极限.所有结果显示由于预脉冲的存在将对靶各层等离子体辐射产生极大的影响