ABSTRACT
We develop a three-dimensional (3D) fully self-consistent model for analysis of an ultrashort THz pulse propagation and amplification in a nonequilibrium plasma channel formed in xenon by a femtosecond UV laser pulse. The model is based on the self-consistent solution of a second order wave equation in the cylindrical geometry and the kinetic Boltzmann equation for the electron velocity distribution function (EVDF) at different points of the spatially inhomogeneous nonequilibrium plasma channel. We analyze the wide range of plasma and seed pulse parameters and reveal the optimal regimes for producing high intensity outgoing THz fields as well as highly unipolar THz pulses within the proposed mechanism. It is demonstrated that the process of EVDF relaxation in plasma limits the amplification of THz pulses at the level of â¼10^{7}W/cm^{2}. Both focusing features of nonequilibrium plasma and the possibility of producing THz pulses with a high degree of unipolarity are confirmed for the case of 3D geometry.
ABSTRACT
We perform an alternative approach to produce highly unipolar terahertz pulses. The idea is based on the nonuniform amplification of seed ultrashort carrier-envelope phase (CEP) pulses in nonequilibrium fast relaxing plasma of air or nitrogen. If the gain coefficient drops significantly within the duration of a one-cycle CEP pulse, it undergoes significant distortion where the leading edge of the pulse is amplified and the trailing tail of opposite polarity is absorbed. The obtained results involve a self-consistent solution of the second-order wave equation and kinetic Boltzmann equation for the electron velocity distribution function relaxation.
ABSTRACT
This paper is devoted to the problem of obtaining high-intense circularly polarized terahertz radiation in a nonequilibrium xenon plasma channel in the presence of an external static magnetic field. The physical mechanism is based on the well-known cyclotron resonance effect which enables to provide effective plasma-electromagnetic wave interaction that can increase the gain in plasma proposed earlier by the authors. According to the suggested scheme, a static magnetic field is imposed on a gas target along the propagation direction of a femtosecond ultraviolet laser driver. Numerical simulations demonstrate that, by varying a magnetic field, one can control the range of amplified frequencies in plasmas at atmospheric and lower pressures. Moreover, a pressure decrease in the nonequilibrium rare gas plasma channel allows one to obtain a larger value of the gain factor. Thus, controlling the central frequency and bandwidth of the amplified terahertz signals leads to producing both ultrashort and rather long high-intense pulses at the output of nonequilibrium plasma channel.
