Abstract

It is well known that an electromagnetic wave obliquely incident on a planar stratified inhomogeneous plasma couples with electron plasma oscillations when the electric field is polarized in the plane of incidence. The interaction is resonant at the critical density surface, and plasma waves of large amplitude may be generated. For a sufficiently strong driving field the condition of wavebreaking may be reached in a certain region around the critical density surface. Wavebreaking leads to efficient dissipation of collective wave energy and to the production of energetic electrons. The process is of fundamental importance as an absorption mechanism in high intensity laser-plasma interaction. Manifestations of wavebreaking have been seen in the electron energy spectra, x-ray emission, and optical absorption experiments.

© 1997 Optical Society of America