Ion dynamics and coherent structure formation following laser pulse self-channeling

Abstract

Abstract. The propagation of a superintense laser pulse in an underdense, inhomogeneous plasma has been studied numerically by two-dimensional particle-incell simulations on a time scale extending up to several picoseconds. The effects of the ion dynamics following the charge-displacement self-channeling of the laser pulse have been addressed. Radial ion acceleration leads to the “breaking ” of the plasma channel walls, causing an inversion of the radial space-charge field and the filamentation of the laser pulse. At later times a number of long-lived, quasi-periodic field structures are observed and their dynamics is characterized with high resolution. Inside the plasma channel, a pattern of electric and magnetic fields resembling both soliton- and vortexlike structures is observed. PACS numbers: 52.38.-r 52.38.Hb 52.38.Kd Submitted to: Plasma Phys. Control. FusionIon dynamics and coherent structure formation following laser pulse self-channeling 2