RELATIVISTIC SELF-FOCUSING OF LIGHT IN UNDERDENSE PLASMAS: AN EXACT ANALYSIS OF WAVEGUIDING AND MULTI-FILAMENT PLASMA-FIELD STRUCTURES

摘要

An exact analysis of plasma-field structures generated by relativistic self-focusing of light in underdense plasmas, where electron cavitation channels can be produced, is presented here. We will show that these channels can guide a laser power higher than the the critical power for self-focusing but still lower than that calculated without taking into account total charge conservation. A simple model is derived to prove the multi-filament structure of relativistic self-focusing with ultra-intense lasers.