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Asymmetric self-focusing of a laser pulse in plasma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2002

A. UPADHYAY
Affiliation:
Laser Plasma Division, Center for Advanced Technology, Indore-452 013, India
V. K. TRIPATHI
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi-110 016, India
A. K. SHARMA
Affiliation:
Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi-110 016, India
H. C. PANT
Affiliation:
Laser Plasma Division, Center for Advanced Technology, Indore-452 013, India

Abstract

An intense short-pulse laser propagating through a plasma undergoes self-pulse distortion due to the combined effects of nonlinearity-induced self-focusing and dispersion. The nonlinearity arises as a result of relativistic mass variation. The low-intensity front of the pulse converges mildly, while the high-intensity later portions self-focus strongly. However, at the intensity maxima, the self-focusing effect is masked by the saturation effect of the nonlinear refractive index. The group velocity is also a function of intensity; as a result, the front of the pulse becomes sharpened, while the tail tends to be broadened.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2002 Cambridge University Press

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