Spatial, Spectral and Temporal Response of High Intensity Laser Plasma Mirrors- Direct Observation of the Ponderomotive Push

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Rakeeb, Sk, Sharma, Animesh, Dam, Sagar, Parab, Ameya, Lad, Amit, Ved, Yash. M., Das, Amita, Kumar, G. Ravindra
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Rakeeb, Sk
Sharma, Animesh
Dam, Sagar
Parab, Ameya
Lad, Amit
Ved, Yash. M.
Das, Amita
Kumar, G. Ravindra
author_facet Rakeeb, Sk
Sharma, Animesh
Dam, Sagar
Parab, Ameya
Lad, Amit
Ved, Yash. M.
Das, Amita
Kumar, G. Ravindra
contents Plasma-based optics have emerged as a powerful platform for manipulating and amplifying ultra-intense laser pulses. However, the inherently nonlinear and dynamic nature of plasma leads to significant spatial, spectral, and temporal modulations when driven at relativistic intensities. These modifications can dramatically alter the structure of the reflected laser pulses, posing challenges for their use in applications such as vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and X-ray generation, as well as relativistic particle acceleration. Comprehensive, multidimensional diagnostics are essential to accurately characterize these so-called `plasma mirrors' (PMs). We present a direct, \textit{in situ} measurement of the three-dimensional plasma surface evolution during femtosecond laser irradiation, achieved through simultaneous analysis of the wavefront, spectrum, and temporal profile of the reflected light. Our measurements reveal surface deformations on the order of a few hundred nanometers at relativistic intensities, in agreement with three-dimensional particle-in-cell (3D-PIC) simulations. Additionally, the PM induces substantial modifications to the pulse spectrum and temporal profile, introducing spatio-temporal couplings.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_18425
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Spatial, Spectral and Temporal Response of High Intensity Laser Plasma Mirrors- Direct Observation of the Ponderomotive Push
Rakeeb, Sk
Sharma, Animesh
Dam, Sagar
Parab, Ameya
Lad, Amit
Ved, Yash. M.
Das, Amita
Kumar, G. Ravindra
Plasma Physics
Plasma-based optics have emerged as a powerful platform for manipulating and amplifying ultra-intense laser pulses. However, the inherently nonlinear and dynamic nature of plasma leads to significant spatial, spectral, and temporal modulations when driven at relativistic intensities. These modifications can dramatically alter the structure of the reflected laser pulses, posing challenges for their use in applications such as vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and X-ray generation, as well as relativistic particle acceleration. Comprehensive, multidimensional diagnostics are essential to accurately characterize these so-called `plasma mirrors' (PMs). We present a direct, \textit{in situ} measurement of the three-dimensional plasma surface evolution during femtosecond laser irradiation, achieved through simultaneous analysis of the wavefront, spectrum, and temporal profile of the reflected light. Our measurements reveal surface deformations on the order of a few hundred nanometers at relativistic intensities, in agreement with three-dimensional particle-in-cell (3D-PIC) simulations. Additionally, the PM induces substantial modifications to the pulse spectrum and temporal profile, introducing spatio-temporal couplings.
title Spatial, Spectral and Temporal Response of High Intensity Laser Plasma Mirrors- Direct Observation of the Ponderomotive Push
topic Plasma Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.18425