title: Laser-pulse compression using magnetized plasmas.
abstract: Proposals to reach the next generation of laser intensities through Raman or Brillouin backscattering have centered on optical frequencies. Higher frequencies are beyond the range of such methods mainly due to the wave damping that accompanies the higher-density plasmas necessary for compressing higher frequency lasers. However, we find that an external magnetic field transverse to the direction of laser propagation can reduce the required plasma density. Using parametric interactions in magnetized plasmas to mediate pulse compression, both reduces the wave damping and alleviates instabilities, thereby enabling higher frequency or lower intensity pumps to produce pulses at higher intensities and longer durations. In addition to these theoretical advantages, our method in which strong uniform magnetic fields lessen the need for high-density uniform plasmas also lessens key engineering challenges or at least exchanges them for different challenges.
authors.affiliation: Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.|Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, USA.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.|Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, USA.|School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.|Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, USA.
authors.forename: Nathaniel J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Fisch