1.
Phys Rev Lett
; 85(10): 2124-7, 2000 Sep 04.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-10970478
ABSTRACT
Using a variational method, we show that an effective attractive force exists between two Gaussian laser beams in a plasma because of a mutual coupling from relativistic mass corrections. The effective force can be generalized to other nonlinearities. This force can cause two laser beams to spiral around each other with a rotation period that is proportional to the Rayleigh length. These orbits are stable if the ratio of the orbit diameter to the laser spot size d(0)/W(0)=sqrt[2]. Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are presented which confirm the mutual attraction.