Remote ionization by a short pulse laser beam propagating in the atmosphere


Yedierler B.

PHYSICS OF PLASMAS, cilt.15, sa.7, 2008 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 15 Sayı: 7
  • Basım Tarihi: 2008
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1063/1.2951998
  • Dergi Adı: PHYSICS OF PLASMAS
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Self-focusing of high power, short laser pulses is considered for the purpose of identifying physical parameters that allow a remotely controllable ionization in the atmosphere. The propagation equation including diffraction, group velocity dispersion, Kerr nonlinearity and bound electrons effects is derived. A Lagrange density describing the propagation equation depending on a general pulse amplitude is presented for a propagation regime in the absence of ionization and plasma defocusing. Lagrange equations for beam parameters are determined and solved for a particular ansatz describing a chirped Gaussian beam with a curvature function. It is demonstrated that nonlinear effects not only cause transverse focusing but also temporally enhance the group velocity dispersion. A mutual interrelation between the pulse power, curvature, and chirp parameters is derived explicitly. Moreover, the location where the pulse self-focuses is addressed within the limits on the propagation distance along which the beam shape and the initial symmetry are preserved. Thus, a complete analytical structure of remote ionization is underlined. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.