The Interaction of Intense Subpicosecond Laser Pulses with Underdense Plasmas

The Interaction of Intense Subpicosecond Laser Pulses with Underdense Plasmas PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book Here

Book Description
Laser-plasma interactions have been of interest for many years not only from a basic physics standpoint, but also for their relevance to numerous applications. Advances in laser technology in recent years have resulted in compact laser systems capable of generating (psec), 10[sup 16] W/cm[sup 2] laser pulses. These lasers have provided a new regime in which to study laser-plasma interactions, a regime characterized by L[sub plasma][ge] 2L[sub Rayleigh]> c[tau]. The goal of this dissertation is to experimentally characterize the interaction of a short pulse, high intensity laser with an underdense plasma (n[sub o][le] 0.05n[sub cr]). Specifically, the parametric instability known as stimulated Raman scatter (SRS) is investigated to determine its behavior when driven by a short, intense laser pulse. Both the forward Raman scatter instability and backscattered Raman instability are studied. The coupled partial differential equations which describe the growth of SRS are reviewed and solved for typical experimental laser and plasma parameters. This solution shows the growth of the waves (electron plasma and scattered light) generated via stimulated Raman scatter. The dispersion relation is also derived and solved for experimentally accessible parameters. The solution of the dispersion relation is used to predict where (in k-space) and at what frequency (in[omega]-space) the instability will grow. Both the nonrelativistic and relativistic regimes of the instability are considered.

The Interaction of Intense Subpicosecond Laser Pulses with Underdense Plasmas

The Interaction of Intense Subpicosecond Laser Pulses with Underdense Plasmas PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book Here

Book Description
Laser-plasma interactions have been of interest for many years not only from a basic physics standpoint, but also for their relevance to numerous applications. Advances in laser technology in recent years have resulted in compact laser systems capable of generating (psec), 10[sup 16] W/cm[sup 2] laser pulses. These lasers have provided a new regime in which to study laser-plasma interactions, a regime characterized by L[sub plasma][ge] 2L[sub Rayleigh]> c[tau]. The goal of this dissertation is to experimentally characterize the interaction of a short pulse, high intensity laser with an underdense plasma (n[sub o][le] 0.05n[sub cr]). Specifically, the parametric instability known as stimulated Raman scatter (SRS) is investigated to determine its behavior when driven by a short, intense laser pulse. Both the forward Raman scatter instability and backscattered Raman instability are studied. The coupled partial differential equations which describe the growth of SRS are reviewed and solved for typical experimental laser and plasma parameters. This solution shows the growth of the waves (electron plasma and scattered light) generated via stimulated Raman scatter. The dispersion relation is also derived and solved for experimentally accessible parameters. The solution of the dispersion relation is used to predict where (in k-space) and at what frequency (in[omega]-space) the instability will grow. Both the nonrelativistic and relativistic regimes of the instability are considered.

The Interaction of Intense Subpicosecond Laser Pulses with Underdense Plasmas

The Interaction of Intense Subpicosecond Laser Pulses with Underdense Plasmas PDF Author: Christine Ann Coverdale
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 398

Get Book Here

Book Description


The Interaction of Picosecond and Subpicosecond Laser Pulses with Gases and Plasmas

The Interaction of Picosecond and Subpicosecond Laser Pulses with Gases and Plasmas PDF Author: Andrew James MacKinnon
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description


High Energy Density Physics with Subpicosecond Laser Pulses

High Energy Density Physics with Subpicosecond Laser Pulses PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 122

Get Book Here

Book Description


Atoms, Solids, and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields

Atoms, Solids, and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields PDF Author: Dimitri Batani
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1461513510
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 409

Get Book Here

Book Description
The recent developement of high power lasers, delivering femtosecond pulses of 20 2 intensities up to 10 W/cm , has led to the discovery of new phenomena in laser interactions with matter. At these enormous laser intensities, atoms, and molecules are exposed to extreme conditions and new phenomena occur, such as the very rapid multi photon ionization of atomic systems, the emission by these systems of very high order harmonics of the exciting laser light, the Coulomb explosion of molecules, and the acceleration of electrons close to the velocity of light. These phenomena generate new behaviour of bulk matter in intense laser fields, with great potential for wide ranging applications which include the study of ultra-fast processes, the development of high-frequency lasers, and the investigation of the properties of plasmas and condensed matter under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure. In particular, the concept of the "fast ignitor" approach to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) has been proposed, which is based on the separation of the compression and the ignition phases in laser-driven ICF. The aim of this course on "Atom, Solids and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser fields" was to bring together senior researchers and students in atomic and molecular physics, laser physics, condensed matter and plasma physics, in order to review recent developments in high-intensity laser-matter interactions. The course was held at the Ettore Majorana International Centre for Scientific Culture in Erice from July 8 to July 14,2000.

Short Pulse Laser Interactions With Matter: An Introduction

Short Pulse Laser Interactions With Matter: An Introduction PDF Author: Paul Gibbon
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 1911298844
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 328

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book represents the first comprehensive treatment of the subject, covering the theoretical principles, present experimental status and important applications of short-pulse laser-matter interactions.Femtosecond lasers have undergone dramatic technological advances over the last fifteen years, generating a whole host of new research activities under the theme of “ultrafast science”. The focused light from these devices is so intense that ordinary matter is torn apart within a few laser cycles. This book takes a close-up look at the exotic physical phenomena which arise as a result of this new form of “light-matter” interaction, covering a diverse set of topics including multiphoton ionization, rapid heatwaves, fast particle generation and relativistic self-channeling. These processes are central to a number of exciting new applications in other fields, such as microholography, optical particle accelerators and photonuclear physics.Repository for numerical models described in Chapter 6 can be found at www.fz-juelich.de/zam/cams/plasma/SPLIM/./a

On the Theory of Magnetic Field Generation by Relativistically Strong Laser Radiation

On the Theory of Magnetic Field Generation by Relativistically Strong Laser Radiation PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 23

Get Book Here

Book Description
The authors consider the interaction of subpicosecond relativistically strong short laser pulses with an underdense cold unmagnetized electron plasma. It is shown that the strong plasma inhomogeneity caused by laser pulses results in the generation of a low frequency (quasistatic) magnetic field. Since the electron density distribution is determined completely by the pump wave intensity, the generated magnetic field is negligibly small for nonrelativistic laser pulses but increases rapidly in the ultrarelativistic case. Due to the possibility of electron cavitation (complete expulsion of electrons from the central region) for narrow and intense beams, the increase in the generated magnetic field slows down as the beam intensity is increased. The structure of the magnetic field closely resembles that of the field produced by a solenoid; the field is maximum and uniform in the cavitation region, then it falls, changes polarity and vanishes. In extremely dense plasmas, highly intense laser pulses in the self-channeling regime can generate magnetic fields (approximately) 100 Mg and greater.

Atoms, Solids, and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields

Atoms, Solids, and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields PDF Author: Dimitri Batani
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9780306466151
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 434

Get Book Here

Book Description
Proceedings of the 30th Course of the International School of Quantum Electronics on Atoms, Solids and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields, held 8-14 July, in Erice, Sicily

Sub-picosecond Dynamics During Relativistic Laser-plasma Interaction

Sub-picosecond Dynamics During Relativistic Laser-plasma Interaction PDF Author: Mohammed Almassarani
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : de
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
In this dissertation, we explore two major themes related to intense laser-matter interaction. Firstly, we present a comprehensive characterization of the intense THz light and charged particle emission from the rear surface of thin targets during the interaction with ultrashort laser pulses. Secondly, we report the first direct visualization of the Coulomb field of relativistic electron bunches from laser-thin solid interactions on a sub-picosecond timescale. We introduce a novel non-destructive single-shot detection scheme based on the electrooptic principle. Our time-resolved measurements reveal a complex temporal structure with multiple electron bunches propagating at nearly the speed of light. Moreover, our observations confirm the contraction of the electric field of the relativistic electron bunches under the Lorentz transformation. Further, we demonstrate the spatiotemporal evolution of the Coulomb field wavefronts as the electron bunches propagate away from the target. This work paves the way for non-invasive measurements of fast dynamics of charged particles on sub-picosecond timescales.

Self-guiding of Relativistically-intense, Ultrashort Laser Pulses in Underdense Plasmas

Self-guiding of Relativistically-intense, Ultrashort Laser Pulses in Underdense Plasmas PDF Author: Joseph Edwin Ralph III.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 300

Get Book Here

Book Description