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Relativistic and ponderomotive self-focusing at laser–plasma interaction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 1999

FREDERICK OSMAN ,
REYNALDO CASTILLO  and
HEINRICH HORA
FREDERICK OSMAN
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, PO Box 555 Campbelltown 2560, Australia ([email protected], [email protected])
REYNALDO CASTILLO
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, PO Box 555 Campbelltown 2560, Australia ([email protected], [email protected])
HEINRICH HORA
Affiliation:
Department of Theoretical Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia ([email protected])
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Abstract

The nonlinear plasma dielectric function due to relativistic electron motion is derived. From this, one can obtain the nonlinear refractive index of the plasma and estimate the importance of relativistic self-focusing in comparison with ponderomotive non-relativistic self-focusing at very high laser intensities. When the laser intensity is very high, ponderomotive self-focusing will be dominant. However, at some point, when the oscillating velocity of the plasma electrons becomes very large, relativistic effects will also play a role in self-focusing.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 61 , Issue 2 , February 1999 , pp. 263 - 273
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press

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