Berlin 2001 – scientific programme

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P: Plasmaphysik

P 3: Dense Plasmas

P 3.7: Talk

Tuesday, April 3, 2001, 18:10–18:25, 2053

Focusing of laser beams by means of a z-pinch formed plasma guiding system — •Christian Marco Fauser and Hansheinrich Langhoff — Physikalisches Institut der Universität Würzburg

In order to increase the interaction length of high power laser beams with a plasma ( e.g. for electron acceleration) a channel like distribution of the plasma density is necessary. In the present contribution the formation of plasma channels in a capillary discharge is discussed. Measurements were performed using an alumina capillary of 2 mm radius and 14 cm length filled with 100−600 Pa Methane, Helium or Hydrogen. Within a time window of 5 ns the channel radius was determined to be (95 ± 24) µ m. The probe light (λ = 800 µ m) has to be injected under a critical angle of 15 mrad (Methane). This corresponds to a difference in the plasma density between the center and the radius of Δ n = 1.1* 10¹⁹ cm⁻³. A high power laser of 34 µ m beam waist will be guided over a length of 120 times the Rayleigh length.