Electron Parametric Instabilities of Ultraintense Short Laser Pulses Propagating in Plasmas

Quesnel, B.; Mora, P.; Adam, J. C.; Guérin, S.; Héron, A.; Laval, G.

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.78.2132

Cited by 53 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In fact, in these conditions, the beating of the electron plasma wave with the pump wave would produce an electromagnetic (SRS) as well as the electrostatic (TPD) response. As TPD, also SRS is expected to generate hot electrons, as shown, for example, in 2D PIC simulations by Quesnel et al 31 Their angular distribution is however expected to peak in the forward direction, since the backscattering SRS growth rate is larger than the side scattering SRS. The contribution of this source of hot electrons, and therefore, of X-ray emission, cannot be separated and quantified by our experimental setup.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

X-ray conversion of ultra-short laser pulses on a solid sample: Role of electron waves excited in the pre-plasma

et al. 2014

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Flat silicon samples were irradiated with 40 fs, 800 nm laser pulses at an intensity at the best focus of 2·1018 Wcm−2, in the presence of a pre-plasma on the sample surface. X-ray emission in the spectral range from 2 to 30 keV was detected inside and outside the plane of incidence, while varying pre-plasma scale length, laser intensity, and polarization. The simultaneous detection of 2ω and 3ω/2 emission allowed the contributions to the X-ray yield to be identified as originating from laser interaction with either the near-critical density (nc) region or with the nc/4 region. In the presence of a moderate pre-plasma, our measurements reveal that, provided the pre-plasma reaches a scale-length of a few laser wavelengths, X-ray emission is dominated by the contribution from the interaction with the under dense plasma, where electron plasma waves can grow, via laser stimulated instabilities, and, in turn, accelerate free electrons to high energies. This mechanism leads also to a clear anisotropy in the angular distribution of the X-ray emission. Our findings can lead to an enhancement of the conversion efficiency of ultra short laser pulses into X-rays.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

X-ray conversion of ultra-short laser pulses on a solid sample: Role of electron waves excited in the pre-plasma

et al. 2014

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“…24 The solutions of the corresponding dispersion relations become notably amplitude-sensitive when the pump amplitude increases. 2,6,11,12,25,26,30,31,33,34 In the non-relativistic regime, the growth-rates of Raman and Brillouin scattering are independent of the polarization of the laser. The Raman instability is due to the scattering of the electromagnetic wave off an electron plasma wave and may only exist below a threshold density n c =4.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Nonlinear Brillouin amplification of finite-duration seeds in the strong coupling regime

Lehmann

Spatschek

2013

Physics of Plasmas

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Parametric plasma processes received renewed interest in the context of generating ultra-intense and ultra-short laser pulses up to the exawatt-zetawatt regime. Both Raman as well as Brillouin amplifications of seed pulses were proposed. Here, we investigate Brillouin processes in the one-dimensional (1D) backscattering geometry with the help of numerical simulations. For optimal seed amplification, Brillouin scattering is considered in the so called strong coupling (sc) regime. Special emphasis lies on the dependence of the amplification process on the finite duration of the initial seed pulses. First, the standard plane-wave instability predictions are generalized to pulse models, and the changes of initial seed pulse forms due to parametric instabilities are investigated. Three-wave-interaction results are compared to predictions by a new (kinetic) Vlasov code. The calculations are then extended to the nonlinear region with pump depletion. Generation of different seed layers is interpreted by self-similar solutions of the three-wave interaction model. Similar to Raman amplification, shadowing of the rear layers by the leading layers of the seed occurs. The shadowing is more pronounced for initially broad seed pulses. The effect is quantified for Brillouin amplification. Kinetic Vlasov simulations agree with the three-wave interaction predictions and thereby affirm the universal validity of self-similar layer formation during Brillouin seed amplification in the strong coupling regime. V C 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

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“…The instability of relativistically large amplitude EMWs has been studied for magnetized electron plasmas (Stenflo 1976(Stenflo , 1981, electron beam plasma systems (Tsintsadze & Stenflo 1974), hot electron-ion plasmas (Tsintsadze et al 1979) and magnetized hot plasmas (Tsintsadze et al 1980;Shukla et al 1986). The instability of relativistically strong laser light in an unmagnetized plasma has recently been revisited (Mckinstrie & Bingham 1992;Sakharov & Kirsanov 1994;Guérin et al 1995;Quesnel et al 1997;Barr et al 1999), where it was recognized that relativistic effects can decrease the growth rate of the instabilities (Decker et al 1996). The saturation of the modulational instability is the formation of localized solitary waves in an overdense plasma.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Localization of intense electromagnetic waves in plasmas

Shukła

Eliasson²

2008

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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We present theoretical and numerical studies of the interaction between relativistically intense laser light and a two-temperature plasma consisting of one relativistically hot and one cold component of electrons. Such plasmas are frequently encountered in intense laser-plasma experiments where collisionless heating via Raman instabilities leads to a high-energetic tail in the electron distribution function. The electromagnetic waves (EMWs) are governed by the Maxwell equations, and the plasma is governed by the relativistic Vlasov and hydrodynamic equations. Owing to the interaction between the laser light and the plasma, we can have trapping of electrons in the intense wakefield of the laser pulse and the formation of relativistic electron holes (REHs) in which laser light is trapped. Such electron holes are characterized by a non-Maxwellian distribution of electrons where we have trapped and free electron populations. We present a model for the interaction between laser light and REHs, and computer simulations that show the stability and dynamics of the coupled electron hole and EMW envelopes.

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Electron Parametric Instabilities of Ultraintense Short Laser Pulses Propagating in Plasmas

Cited by 53 publications

References 13 publications

X-ray conversion of ultra-short laser pulses on a solid sample: Role of electron waves excited in the pre-plasma

X-ray conversion of ultra-short laser pulses on a solid sample: Role of electron waves excited in the pre-plasma

Nonlinear Brillouin amplification of finite-duration seeds in the strong coupling regime

Localization of intense electromagnetic waves in plasmas

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