Guiding of high-intensity laser pulses in 100mm-long hydrodynamic
optical-field-ionized plasma channels
Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 23 081303-081303
Authors:
A Picksley, A Alejo, J Cowley, N Bourgeois, L Corner, L Feder, J Holloway, H Jones, J Jonnerby, Hm Milchberg, Lr Reid, Aj Ross, R Walczak, SM HOOKER
Abstract:
Hydrodynamic optically-field-ionized (HOFI) plasma channels up to 100mm long
are investigated. Optical guiding is demonstrated of laser pulses with a peak
input intensity of $6\times10^{17}$ W cm$^{-2}$ through 100mm long plasma
channels with on-axis densities measured interferometrically to be as low as
$n_{e0} = (1.0\pm0.3)\times10^{17}$cm$^{-3}$. Guiding is also observed at lower
axial densities, which are inferred from magneto-hydrodynamic simulations to be
approximately $7\times10^{16}$cm$^{-3}$. Measurements of the power attenuation
lengths of the channels are shown to be in good agreement with those calculated
from the measured transverse electron density profiles. To our knowledge, the
plasma channels investigated in this work are the longest, and have the lowest
on-axis density, of any free-standing waveguide demonstrated to guide laser
pulses with intensities above $>10^{17}$ W cm$^{-2}$.
