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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Investigation of Early Plasma Evolution Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses
Published on: July 2, 2012
Experimental evidence of predominantly transverse electron plasma waves driven by stimulated Raman scattering of
C Rousseaux1, S D Baton, D Bénisti
1CEA, DAM, DIF, 91297 Arpajon Cedex, France.
Abstract:
We report on highly time- and space-resolved measurements of the evolution of electron plasma waves driven by stimulated Raman scattering of a picosecond, single laser speckle propagating through a preformed underdense plasma. Two-dimensional Thomson scatter spectra indicate that the dominant waves have significant transverse components. These results are supported by particle-in-cell simulations which pinpoint the dominant role of the wave front bowing and of secondary nonlinear electrostatic instabilities in the evolution of the plasma waves.
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