Flow-induced beam steering in a single laser hot spot
The transmitted angular distribution of a 527 nm nearly diffraction-limited laser is measured after it propagates through a plasma with supersonic transverse flow. The laser beam is deflected by as much as 10 degrees and exhibits bowlike features in the flow direction, which is attributed to flow-induced beam steering. The finite interaction volume allows for direct comparison with a 3D hydrodynamic simulation, which is in good agreement with details of the experiment.
Montgomery
DS
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
Johnson
RP
Rose
HA
Cobble
JA
Fernandez
JC