title: Guiding of intense laser beams in highly ionized plasma columns generated by a fast capillary discharge.
abstract: We have demonstrated the guiding of laser pulses with peak intensities up to 2.2 x 10(17) W/cm(2) in a 5.5 cm long plasma column containing highly charged Ar ions generated by a fast capillary discharge. A rapid discharge-driven hydrodynamic compression guides progressively lower order modes through a plasma with increasing density and degree of ionization, until the guide collapses on axis. The lowest order mode (FWHM approximately 50 microm) is guided with 75% transmission efficiency shortly before the plasma reaches the conditions for lasing in Ne-like Ar. The subsequent rapid plasma expansion forms a significantly leakier and more absorbent guide.
authors.affiliation: NSF ERC for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology, and Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA. bml@lamar.colostate.edu
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Luther
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marconi
authors.forename: J L A
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chilla
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Larotonda
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rocca