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Updated: Jul 23, 2025

Investigation of Early Plasma Evolution Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses
Published on: July 2, 2012
Dynamics of Nanosecond Laser Pulse Propagation and of Associated Instabilities in a Magnetized Underdense Plasma
W Yao1,2, A Higginson3, J-R Marquès1
1LULI-CNRS, CEA, UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Université, École Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris-F-91128 Palaiseau cedex, France.
Abstract:
The propagation and energy coupling of intense laser beams in plasmas are critical issues in inertial confinement fusion. Applying magnetic fields to such a setup has been shown to enhance fuel confinement and heating. Here we report on experimental measurements demonstrating improved transmission and increased smoothing of a high-power laser beam propagating in a magnetized underdense plasma. We also measure enhanced backscattering, which our kinetic simulations show is due to magnetic confinement of hot electrons, thus leading to reduced target preheating.
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