Abstract
In this paper we analyze the basic characteristics of experimentally observed second-harmonic light spectra generated during long-duration high-intensity laser-plasma interactions. It is shown that the observed spectrum characteristics of threshold, red-shift, and target material dependence can be explained by a two-step mechanism of parametric coupling affected by a strong "imposed" ponderomotive force. The imposed ponderomotive force, generated by the laser light's standing-wave pattern, affects the parametric coupling through increased linear wave dispersion. Experimental results agree with the theoretical prediction and suggest the existence of additional parametric instabilities in the ponderomotive-force-dominated regime.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1601-1608 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Physical Review A |
Volume | 24 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1981 |
Externally published | Yes |