Abstract

The interaction of ultra-high power laser beams with plasmas is rich in a variety of wave-particle phenomena. These phenomena become particularly interesting and involved when the laser power is high enough to cause the electron oscillation velocity to become highly relativistic. Some of the interesting laser-plasma processes which will be discussed include i) the production of large amplitude plasma waves which could be used to accelerate electrons to ultra-high energies; ii) the possibility of modifying the plasma refractive properties in order to achieve optical guiding of a laser pulse, thus preventing the laser pulse from diffracting; and iii) the possibility of producing coherent radiation at harmonics of the incident laser frequency.

© 1989 Optical Society of America