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Relativistic self-focusing of laser beams in time-harmonic plane waves: arbitrary intensity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

Meenu Asthana ,
M. S. Sodha  and
K. P. Maheshwari
Meenu Asthana
Affiliation:
School of Physics, Devi Ahilya University, Indore 452 001, India
M. S. Sodha
Affiliation:
School of Physics, Devi Ahilya University, Indore 452 001, India
K. P. Maheshwari
Affiliation:
School of Physics, Devi Ahilya University, Indore 452 001, India
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Abstract

This paper presents a paraxial theory of relativistic self-focusing of a Gaussian laser beam in plasma for a time-harmonic plane wave at arbitrary beam intensity. Since the relativistic mechanism is instantaneous, the theory is also applicable to self-focusing of laser pulses. The analysis leads to two values for the critical beam power for self-focusing, Pcr1 and Pcr2. When P < Pcr1 < Pcr2, the beam diverges. When Pcr1 <P <pcr2, it first converges, then diverges, and so on. When P > Pcr2 it first diverges, then converges, and so on.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 51 , Issue 1 , February 1994 , pp. 155 - 162
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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References

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