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中国物理学会期刊

相对论椭圆拉盖尔-高斯涡旋激光束在低密等离子体中成丝不稳定性研究

Filamentation instability of relativistic elliptical Laguerre-Gaussian vortex beam in underdense plasma

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  • 本工作利用相对论非线性薛定谔方程,详细研究了椭圆相对论拉盖尔高斯激光束在低密等离子体中的传播特征。模拟发现,当激光入射功率低于自聚焦临界功率时,光斑在等离子体中旋转一定角度后,逐渐演化成涡旋厄米高斯光束;当入射功率略高于自聚焦功率时,光束最终在长轴两侧各形成一束成丝光束;当激光入射功率远高于自聚焦临界功率时,椭圆光斑的对称性破缺,等离子体折射率梯度指向椭圆光斑的长轴两侧,使得光斑能量在自聚焦后向光斑长轴两侧转移,成丝光束更多地分布在长轴两侧,同时光丝束相互合并。此外,我们给出了激光束自聚焦临界功率表达式,研究表明当激光束瑞利长度大于达到自聚焦峰值距离时,模拟得到的成丝数目与理论预测一致。

     

    In recent years, Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) laser beams have gained significant attention in plasma physics due to their unique vortex characteristics. However, laser spots generated in experimental settings often deviate from a perfectly circular profile. Based on the Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation (NLSE) governing laser propagation in underdense plasmas, our study investigates the influence of spot ellipticity on the filamentation instability of LG beams. By solving the NLSE using the Split-Step Fourier Method (SSFM), we can characterize the propagation properties of the elliptical LG beams under various parameters in underdense plasmas. Numerical simulations show that when the incident power is below the critical power for self-focusing, the spot rotates by a certain angle depending on the sign of the topological charge of the vortex beam. Then it gradually evolves into the neighboring ground state of the Helmholtz equation, a Vortex Hermite-Gaussian (VHG) beam. This evolution occurs over a distance approximately equal to the elliptical Rayleigh length. When the incident power exceeds the critical power, the elliptical spot with broken symmetry causes the plasma refractive index gradient to be directed toward the sides of the major axis, leading to the lateral migration of self-focused energy along this axis. Consequently, filaments mainly distribute along the major axis, forming earlier than in other regions and potentially exhibiting merging phenomena. At powers slightly above the critical power, only two filaments form. Furthermore, filamentation is classified into two cases based on the relationship between the self-focusing distance and the evolution distance. We also refined the azimuthal modulation instability theory and derived a modified expression for the critical power of elliptical LG beams. When the self-focusing distance is smaller than the evolution distance, the number of filaments obtained from simulations is consistent with theoretical predictions. These findings highlight the significant differences in propagation characteristics between elliptical and ideal LG beams due to symmetry breaking, providing crucial insights for the theoretical application and experimental study of ultra-intense laser beams.

     

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