Decay instability of X-mode laser in a magnetized plasma embedded with clusters

• Published in: Optical and quantum electronics Vol. 55; no. 2
• Main Authors: Babu, Sanjay, Kumar, Arvind, Jeet, Ram, Kumar, Asheel, Varma, Ashish
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.02.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Beat frequencies; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Clusters; Computer Communication Networks; Decay; Density; Electrical Engineering; Electrons; Lasers; Magnetic fields; Magnetic resonance; Optical Devices; Optics; Perturbation; Photonics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Ponderomotive forces; Propagation modes; Stability; Lower hybrid wave; Magnetized plasma; Plasmon resonance; Upper hybrid wave; X-mode laser; Cluster; Coupling
• ISSN: 0306-8919; 1572-817X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11082-022-04335-x

A large amplitude X-mode laser, propagating through a cluster embedded magnetized plasma is parametrically susceptible to decay instability, involving a lower hybrid wave and an upper hybrid wave. The density perturbation associated with the lower hybrid wave couples with the oscillatory velocity of electrons due to the pump laser to produce a nonlinear current that drives the upper hybrid wave. The laser and the upper hybrid wave exert a beat frequency ponderomotive force on electrons and drive the lower hybrid wave. The surface plasmon resonance, modified by the magnetic field, plays a significant role in the response of cluster electrons. For typical laser intensity of 1016 W/cm 2 at 0.8 micron wavelength, magnetic field of 50–100 MG, and substantial density of clusters, the parametric instability grows on sub-picosecond time scale.