Open AccessInfluence of pointing fluctuation on intense laser beams propagation in plasma channels
Author(s) -
Mingwei Liu,
Aihua Deng,
Changquan Xia,
Jiansheng Liu,
Cheng Wang,
Ruxin Li,
Zhizhan Xu
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.008077
Subject(s) - physics , optics , beam (structure) , oscillation (cell signaling) , plasma channel , dimensionless quantity , centroid , amplitude , light beam , plasma , laser , mechanics , geometry , genetics , mathematics , quantum mechanics , biology
An off-axis incident model is presented to analyze the influence of beam pointing fluctuation on the propagation properties of intense laser beams in plasma channels. The equations for the beam spot size and centroid are obtained by applying the variational method. The beam pointing fluctuation contributes additional focusing effect by amplifying relativistic self-focusing, leading to periodically modified oscillations of the spot size. The beam centroid oscillates along the channel axis with the amplitude close to its initial off-axis displacement, while the oscillation frequency is scaled as the square of the dimensionless channel strength parameter.