Nonlinear theory of nonparaxial laser pulse propagation in plasma channels
Nonparaxial propagation of ultrashort, high-power laser pulses in plasma channels is examined. In the adiabatic limit, pulse energy conservation, nonlinear group velocity, damped betatron oscillations, self-steepening, self-phase modulation, and shock formation are analyzed. In the nonadiabatic limit, the coupling of forward Raman scattering (FRS) and the self-modulation instability (SMI) is analyzed and growth rates are derived, including regimes of reduced growth. The SMI is found to dominate FRS in most regimes of interest.
Esarey
E
Center for Beam Physics, Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Schroeder
CB
Shadwick
BA
Wurtele
JS
Leemans
WP