Self-compression of laser pulses induced by asymmetric self-phase modulation aided by backward Raman scattering in...

Here a mechanism for self-compression of laser pulses is presented, based on period density-modulated plasma. In this setup, two pump beams intersect at a small angle within the plasma. This interaction is facilitated by the ponderomotive ion mechanism, which causes a modulation in the density of plasma with long wavelengths and low amplitude. This modulation enhances the backward Raman scattering of the probe pulse. The trailing edge of the probe experiences greater energy loss, resulting in a steeper intensity gradient. This, in turn, induces an asymmetric self-phase modulation, which elevates the instantaneous frequency. It is notable that the laser in plasma exhibits opposite group velocity dispersion compared to traditional solid-state media. This unique property allows laser pulses to undergo dispersion compensation while broadening the spectrum, ultimately leading to self-compression. The 2D-PIC simulations demonstrate these phenomena, highlighting how period density-modulated plasma contributes to an asymmetric spectral distribution. The intricate interplay among self-phase modulation, group velocity, and backward Raman scattering results in the self-compressing of the laser pulse. Specifically, the pulses are compressed from their Fourier transform limit duration of 50 fs to a significantly reduced duration of 8 fs at plasma densities below 1/4 critical density, without the transverse self-focusing effects.