Effects of relativistic and ponderomotive nonlinearities on the interaction of high-power laser beam with an inhomogeneous warm plasma

The influence of relativistic-ponderomotive nonlinearities and the plasma inhomogeneity on the nonlinear interaction between a high-power laser beam and a warm underdense plasma are studied. It is clear that the relativistic ponderomotive force and the electron temperature modify the electron density distribution and consequently change the dielectric permittivity of the plasma. Therefore, by presenting the modified electron density and the nonlinear dielectric permittivity of the warm plasma, the electromagnetic wave equation for the propagation of intense laser beam through the plasma is derived. This nonlinear equation is numerically solved and the distributions of electromagnetic fields in the plasma, the variations of electron density, and plasma refractive index are investigated for two different background electron density profiles. The results show that the amplitude of the electric field and electron density oscillations gradually increase and decrease, during propagation in the inhomogeneous warm plasma with linear and exponential density profiles, respectively, and the distribution of electron density becomes extremely sharp in the presence of intense laser beam. It is also indicated that the electron temperature and initial electron density have an impact on the propagation of the laser beam in the plasma and change the plasma refractive index and the oscillations' amplitude and frequency. The obtained results indicate the importance of a proper choice of laser and plasma parameters on the electromagnetic field distributions, density steepening, and plasma refractive index variations in the interaction of an intense laser beam with an inhomogeneous warm plasma.     

Self-focusing of Gaussian laser beam in collisionless plasma and its effect on stimulated Raman scattering process

This paper presents an investigation of self-focusing of Gaussian laser beam in collisionless plasma and its effect on stimulated Raman scattering process. The pump beam interacts with a pre-excited electron plasma wave thereby generating a back-scattered wave. On account of Gaussian intensity distribution of laser beam, the time independent component of the ponderomotive force along a direction perpendicular to the beam propagation becomes finite, which modifies the background plasma density profile in a direction transverse to pump beam axis. This modification in density affects the incident laser beam, electron plasma wave and back-scattered beam. We have set up the non-linear differential equations for the beam width parameters of the main beam, electron plasma wave, back-scattered wave and SRS-reflectivity by taking full non-linear part of the dielectric constant of collisionless plasma with the help of moment theory approach. It is observed from the analysis that focusing of waves greatly enhances the SRS reflectivity.     

Stimulated Raman scattering of gaussian laser beam in relativistic plasma

This paper presents an investigation of Stimulated Raman Scattering of gaussian laser beam in relativistic Plasma. The pump beam interacts with a pre-excited electron plasma wave and thereby generate a back-scattered wave. Due to intense laser beam, electron oscillatory velocity becomes comparable to the velocity of light, which modifies the background plasma density profile in a direction transverse to pump beam axis. The relativistic non-linearity due to increase in mass of the electrons effects the incident laser beam, electron plasma wave and back-scattered beam. We have set up the non-linear differential equations for the beam width parameters of the main beam, electron plasma wave, back-scattered wave and derived SRS back-reflectivity by taking full non-linear part of the dielectric constant of relativistic plasma with the help of moment theory approach. It is observed from the analysis that self-focusing of the pump beam greatly affects the SRS reflectivity, which plays a significant role in laser induced fusion.     

Axial magnetic field effect in numerical analysis of high power Cherenkov free electron laser

Cherenkov free electron laser(CFEL) is simulated numerically by using the single particle method to optimize the electron beam. The electron beam is assumed to be moving near the surface of a flat dielectric slab along a growing radiation. The set of coupled nonlinear differential equations of motion is solved to study the electron dynamics. For three sets of parameters, in high power CFEL, it is found that an axial magnetic field is always necessary to keep the electron beam in the interaction region and its optimal strength is reported for each case. At the injection point, the electron beam's distance above the dielectric surface is kept at a minimum value so that the electrons neither hit the dielectric nor move away from it to the weaker radiation fields and out of the interaction region. The optimal electron beam radius and current are thereby calculated. This analysis is in agreement with two previous numerical studies for a cylindrical waveguide but is at odds with analytical treatments of a flat dielectric that does not use an axial magnetic field. This is backed by an interesting physical reasoning.     

Second Harmonic Generation of Self‐Focused Cosh‐Gaussian Laser Beam in Thermal Quantum Plasma by Excitation of an Electron Plasma Wave

This paper presents a scheme for second harmonic generation (SHG) of an intense Cosh‐Gaussian (ChG) laser beam in thermal quantum plasmas. Moment theory approach in W.K.B approximation has been adopted in deriving the differential equation governing the propagation characteristics of the laser beam with distance of propagation. The effect of relativistic increase in electron mass on propagation dynamics of laser beam has been incorporated. Due to relativistic nonlinearity in the dielectric properties of the plasma, the laser beam gets self‐focused and produces density gradients in the transverse direction. The generated density gradients excite electron plasma wave (EPW) at pump frequency that interacts with the incident laser beam to produce its second harmonics. Numerical simulations have been carried out to investigate the effects of laser parameters on selffocusing of the laser beam and hence on the conversion efficiency of its second harmonics. Simulation results predict that within a specific range of decentered parameter the ChG laser beams show smaller divergence as they propagate and, thus, lead to enhanced conversion efficiency of second harmonics. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A slow wave free-electron laser

A simple calculation of a free-electron laser in the Compton regime that uses a dielectric-lined waveguide is presented. The introduction of a dielectric lining in a free-electron laser considerably reduces the requirements on beam voltage for generating a given frequency ω₁=k₀c/(1 - v_b η/c), where k₀ is the wiggler wave period η is the effective index of refraction (1<η<√ϵ) and ϵ is the permittivity. The system supports electromagnetic waves whose Poynting flux is largely concentrated in the dielectric; hence the electron beam is required to propagate close to the dielectric lining. The mode structure and dispersion behavior of the guiding system without the beam are discussed. a thin annular beam is introduced, and a perturbation theory is used to obtain the frequency and growth rate of radiation     

Exciton photoreflectance of semiconducting layer compound GaTe

Reflectance modulation produced by an intense secondary light beam (an 18 mW He-Ne laser) has been studied for wavelengths near the fundamental edge of the semiconducting layer-type compound GaTe as a function of temperature and intensity of the modulating light. To clarify the experimental lineshape, ΔR/R spectra have been transformed into the laser induced changes in the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant, through Kramers-Kronig relations. As the temperature is lowered, the energy spacing between adjacent peaks in the PR spectrum decreases, indicating that the electric field at the surface is also decreasing. The lineshape is independent of the intensity of the laser beam, in agreement with the picture that the secondary light beam is only slightly modifying the surface electric field.     

Dynamics of quadruple laser pulses in under‐dense plasmas

An analysis of dynamics of a quadruple laser pulse propagating through an under‐dense plasma is presented. The Drude model is used to derive the dielectric function of the plasma for relativistic non‐linearity in the electron mass. An approximate numerical solution of the nonlinear Schrödinger wave equation for the field of the laser beam is obtained with the help of the moment theory approach in the Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) approximation. Particular emphases are placed on the variations of spot size, pulse width, and longitudinal phase delay with the distance of propagation through the plasma. Self‐trapping of the laser pulse is also investigated.     

黑体辐射法测量电介质内部被超短激光脉冲加工后的温度

黑体辐射法可用于测量电介质内部被超短脉冲激光加工后,电子和晶格的瞬时温度.当一个超短激光脉冲通过物镜聚焦到石英玻璃内部时,在焦点附近诱导出微结构.微结构中热影响区的最大宽度为16μm,热影响区发出的黑体辐射谱通过物镜、带耦合透镜的光纤、光谱仪以及ICCD组装成的系统记录.测试系统收集了电介质内部被单个激光脉冲辐照后,热影响区发射的黑体辐射谱,然后用Planck公式拟合黑体辐射谱,得到电介质温度.电介质被超短激光脉冲辐照后,首先电介质中的价带电子通过强场电离和雪崩电离跃迁到导带,高温高压的等离子体以冲击波的形式向外运动,通过对流方式传递能量,该过程发生在激光辐照石英后21 ns内.21 ns后冲击波转化为声波,中心的气态石英通过热扩散方式影响周围的固态区域,石英温度缓慢下降.在时刻t(单位ns),石英玻璃的温度为5333 exp(-t/1289)K.石英经过3.72μs将冷却到室温,因此重复频率在269 k Hz以上的激光,加工石英玻璃时具有热累积效应.     

电子束激励KrF激光放大器稳定运行的重要技术问题

 介绍了用于天光一号高功率氟化氪(KrF)准分子激光系统中的电子束双向激励主放大器稳定运行中必须解决的一些重要技术问题：水介质脉冲传输线中的绝缘支撑击穿问题；大面积电子束二极管阳极膜的安装；与压力膜接触处Hibachi筋的形状；二极管后脉冲的形成及其对阳极膜和阴极发射体造成的损害等问题。还着重描述了主开关导通时刻对二极管后脉冲的影响及最佳导通时刻的确定。     

电子枪功率与束宽对金属原子蒸气特性的影响

在原子法激光同位素分离工程中,电子枪加热金属铀产生的原子蒸气的密度、速度以及温度等宏观量分布特性是非常重要的参数.为了分析电子枪功率和束宽对原子蒸气密度、速度、温度、质量通量和速度分布等物理特性的影响,采用直接MonteCarlo方法用柱坐标模拟了铀原子平面蒸发动力学过程.在电子枪加热方式下,蒸发源温度场不均匀,而且温度场随电子枪功率和束宽变化.着重研究这种变化对蒸气各种物理特性的影响.模拟结果表明,电子枪功率越高,蒸气径向宏观漂移速度越大,蒸发量越大;电子束束宽越窄,蒸发量越大. 关键词： 金属蒸发 原子法激光同位素分离 直接MonteCarlo 电子枪     

圆波导契伦柯夫自由电子激光的单粒子理论

用单粒子理论研究了契伦柯夫自由电子激光的基本性质,给出了空心束圆柱衬介质波导契伦柯夫自由电子激光调谐特性,导出了增长率表达式,计算了克服谐振腔损失所需阈值电流和相互作用效率,讨论了束与介质间间隙的影响,并对空心束与实心束进行了比较,最后讨论了电子束品质对契伦柯夫自由电子激光的影响。     

Transverse or off-axis localization of electromagnetic waves in random one- and two-dimensional dielectric systems which are periodic on average

We study the transverse or off-axis localization of electromagnetic waves for several different random dielectric systems which are periodic on average. Unlike previous scalar wave treatments of transverse localization, in the present work we present results based on a full vector treatment of the electromagnetic fields based on Maxwell's equations. In a first system, we consider a random semi-infinite array of slabs with plane waves or finite beams of electromagnetic waves obliquely incident on the slab surfaces. The localization of the fields in a region near the surface of illumination is studied as a function of the oblique angle of incidence. In a second system, an array of semi-infinite slabs with random thickness is considered with an incident finite beam of electromagnetic waves initially directed parallel to the slab surfaces. The spreading of the beam width is computed as it propagates through the array of semi-infinite slabs. In a final system, we consider a semi-infinite array of random dielectric rods (2D system) with obliquely incident plane waves. The localization length of the plane-wave fields is computed as a function of the oblique angle of incidence and as a function of the strength of the disorder of the dielectric medium. All the random media we consider, when averaged over their randomness, are periodic on average. The above systems are studied for both p- and s-polarizations of incident electromagnetic waves, and the difference in the transverse localization of the electromagnetic field for these two polarizations is determined.     

金属靶和绝缘靶对飞秒激光吸收的比较

利用脉宽为150fs、强度为8×10¹⁵W/cm²的P偏振飞秒激光研究了与 金属靶和绝缘靶 相互作用过程中的激光能量吸收、超热电子产额及超热电子能谱. 实验发现，由于绝缘靶电 导率小，因此其电荷分离势大于金属靶，从而导致绝缘靶比金属靶具有较小的激光能量吸收 、较少的超热电子发射和较高的超热电子温度. 关键词： 金属靶 绝缘靶 激光吸收 超热电子     

Laser-based optical emission studies of barium plasma

We present the optical emission characteristics of the barium plasma produced at the surface of barium hydroxide Ba(OH)₂, also known as baryta, generated by the first harmonic (1,064 nm) of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The laser beam was focused on target material by placing it in air at atmospheric pressure. The experimentally observed line profiles of neutral barium have been used to extract the electron temperature using the Boltzmann plot method, whereas the electron number density has been determined from the Stark broadening. The electron temperature is calculated by varying distance from the target surface along the line of propagation of plasma plume and also by varying the laser energy. Besides, we have studied the variation of number density as a function of laser energy as well as its variation with distance from the target surface. It is observed that electron temperature and electron number density increase as laser energy increases.     

Dynamics of quadruple laser beams in collisionless plasmas

Dynamics of a quadruple laser beam propagating through collisionless plasma has been investigated. The dielectric function of the plasma has been obtained for ponderomotive nonlinearity. Moment theory has been used to find the solution of nonlinear Schrodinger wave equation for the field of laser beam. Particular emphases is put on the variations of both the beam width and longitudinal phase delay with distance of propagation through the plasma. Self-trapping of the laser beam has been also investigated.     

Effect of Higher Order Axial Electron Temperature on Self-Focusing of Electromagnetic Pulsed Beam in Collisional Plasma

Effect of higher order axial electron temperature on self-focusing of electromagnetic pulsed beam in collisional plasma is investigated. It is shown that higher order axial electron temperature T_p4 is not trivial than T_p0 and T_p2, which can modify slightly radial redistribution of electron density and increases effective dielectric constant. As a result, on one hand, slightly reduce electromagnetic beam self-focusing in the course of oscillatory convergence, on the other hand, quicken beam divergence in the course of steady divergence, i.e., higher order axial electron temperature T_p4 can decrease the influence of collisional nonlinearity in collisional plasma.     

Propagating characters of Gaussian laser beam in plasmas with non-homogeneous radial temperature distribution

We investigate the propagation regimes of laser beam in plasmas with radial distribution of electron temperature, characterized by ratio parameter of radial Gaussian distribution. By following the WKB method and paraxial approximation, the propagation equations of laser beam are derived and discussed for two nonlinearity mechanisms respectively. Both the critical curves for different ratio parameters are plotted, and it is proved that the self-focusing or self-trapping mode could be realized only when the ratio parameter excesses 1. The variations of laser beam-width are calculated, which indicates the feasibly effective modification of propagation characters by radial distribution of electron temperature.     

Nonlinear analysis of Cherenkov free-electron laser with double-slab structure

A compact Cherenkov free-electron laser is studied for a double-slab structure with no incident field or electromagnetic feedback mechanism. The simplified model is composed of a rectangular wave-guide partially filled with two lined parallel dielectric slabs and a sheet electron beam. The interaction between the electron beam and the electromagnetic mode is described with the macro-particle approach. The coupled equations are derived and solved numerically with the parameters of an ongoing experiment, demonstrating the amplification of emitted power from spontaneous emission.