title: Note: Characterization of the plasma parameters of a capillary discharge-produced plasma channel waveguide to guide an intense laser pulse.
abstract: We demonstrated the production of an optical waveguide in a capillary discharge-produced plasma using a cylindrical capillary. Plasma parameters of its waveguide were characterized by use of both a Nomarski laser interferometer and a hydrogen plasma line spectrum. A space-averaged maximum temperature of 3.3 eV with electron densities of the order of 10(17) cm(-3) was observed at a discharge time of 150 ns and a maximum discharge current of 400 A. An ultrashort, intense laser pulse was guided by use of this plasma channel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Sciences and Center for Optical Research and Education (CORE), Utsunomiya University, Yoto 7-1-2, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-8585, Japan. higashi@cc.utsunomiya-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higashiguchi
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hikida
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terauchi
authors.forename: Jin-xiang
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Yezheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yugami