Observation of a Long-Wavelength Hosing Modulation of a High-Intensity Laser Pulse in Underdense Plasma

M. C. Kaluza, S. P. D. Mangles, A. G. R. Thomas, Z. Najmudin, A. E. Dangor, C. D. Murphy, J. L. Collier, E. J. Divall, P. S. Foster, C. J. Hooker, A. J. Langley, J. Smith, and K. Krushelnick
Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 095003 – Published 26 August 2010

Abstract

We report the first experimental observation of a long-wavelength hosing modulation of a high-intensity laser pulse. Side-view images of the scattered optical radiation at the fundamental wavelength of the laser reveal a transverse oscillation of the laser pulse during its propagation through underdense plasma. The wavelength of the oscillation λhosing depends on the background plasma density ne and scales as λhosingne3/2. Comparisons with an analytical model and two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations reveal that this laser hosing can be induced by a spatiotemporal asymmetry of the intensity distribution in the laser focus which can be caused by a misalignment of the parabolic focusing mirror or of the diffraction gratings in the pulse compressor.

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  • Received 3 September 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.095003

© 2010 The American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

M. C. Kaluza1,2,3, S. P. D. Mangles1, A. G. R. Thomas1,4, Z. Najmudin1, A. E. Dangor1, C. D. Murphy1,5,6, J. L. Collier5, E. J. Divall5, P. S. Foster5, C. J. Hooker5, A. J. Langley5, J. Smith5, and K. Krushelnick1,4

  • 1The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom
  • 2Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
  • 3Helmholtz-Institut Jena, Helmholtzweg 4, 07743 Jena, Germany
  • 4Center for Ultrafast Optical Science (CUOS), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
  • 5Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxon OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
  • 6Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom

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Issue

Vol. 105, Iss. 9 — 27 August 2010

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