ISSN:
1089-7674
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
Ponderomotive profile steepening and resonance absorption of a flowing stratified laser produced plasma are investigated self-consistently when both cases of linear polarization with respect to the plane of incidence (s and p polarization) are combined. This analysis enables a representation of "mixed'' polarized light, desirable for application in advanced codes modeling laser plasmas. Profile steepening forms (i) a layer around the turning point of the light, and, embedded therein, (ii) a thinner sublayer at the critical surface, where plasma waves are excited. The structure and the density transition of both layers are determined as a function of dimensionless parameters, i.e., the angle of incidence and the light intensities corresponding to both polarizations (related to plasma temperature and light wavelength). The plasma flow changes from sub- to supersonic in the steepened region; the sound speed depends on the intensity of the longitudinal electric field. In contrast to the purely polarized cases, one finds that (i) a closed analytical solution is not available, (ii) the sonic point does not coincide with extrema of the light-field components, and (iii) the oscillations of the electromagnetic field and the density rippling in the underdense plasma are not exactly periodic, due to the different dispersion of the p- and s-polarized components. It is found that resonance absorption is maximum for angles of incidence about 15°–20°. © 1994 American Institute of Physics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.870941
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