Intense laser pulse propagation optical guiding and wakefield generation in plasma

摘要

The nonlinear, self-consistent propagation of ultra-intense, subpicosecond laser pulses in plasmas is analyzed. Large amplitude wakefields are generated when the laser pulse length is approximately equal to the plasma wavelength. Relativistic optical guiding is found to be ineffective in preventing diffraction of pulses with lengths less than the plasma wavelength. Short, intense laser pulses can be effectively guided with preformed plasma density channels. Simulations based on a 2D-axisymmetric fluid model are discussed.