Localization of intense electromagnetic waves in plasmas

Abstract

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.

Filamentation of laser beam and suppression of stimulated Raman scattering due to localization of electron plasma wave

“…where J T is the total current density vector in the presence of the high-frequency electric field E T . Equating the zeroth-order terms in (30), one obtains (7) and equating terms at scattered frequency, we get…”

“…Kline et al [29] experimentally investigated SRS using a short pulse diffraction limited laser beam near the instability threshold. Recently, Shukla et al [30] reported the localization of intense laser beam in plasma, and Gupta et.al. [31] reported the effect of localization of EPW on SRS where relativistic nonlinearity is taken into account.…”

James Clerk Maxwell 150 years on

“…The paper by Shukla & Eliasson (2008) contains a combination of new analytical and numerical results on relativistic electron holes within which intense laser light is trapped. Their computer simulations exhibit fascinating stability and dynamics of the coupled electron hole and electromagnetic wave envelopes.…”