Magnetic field generation in plasma waves driven by co-propagating intense twisted lasers
arXiv:1802.08582 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.145002
Abstract
We present a new magnetic field generation mechanism in underdense plasmas driven by the beating of two, co-propagating, Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) orbital angular momentum (OAM) laser pulses with different frequencies and also different twist indices. The resulting twisted ponderomotive force drives up an electron plasma wave with a helical rotating structure. To second order, there is a nonlinear rotating current leading to the onset of an intense, static axial magnetic field, which persists over a long time in the plasma (ps scale) after the laser pulses have passed by. The results are confirmed in three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and also theoretical analysis. For the case of 300 fs duration, 3.8x10^17 W/cm^2 peak laser intensity we observe magnetic field of up to 0.4 MG. This new method of magnetic field creation may find applications in charged beam collimation and controlled fusion.
arXiv comment12 pages, 5 figures, A talk is given at APS Meeting
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- Advances in laser-plasma interactions using intense vortex laser beams
- Kinetic plasma waves carrying orbital angular momentum
- Electron Acceleration Using Twisted Laser Wavefronts
- Efficient generation of axial magnetic field by multiple laser beams with twisted pointing directions
- Magnetic field amplification in a laser-irradiated thin foil by return current electrons carrying orbital angular momentum
- Mapping the direction of electron ionization to phase delay between VUV and IR laser pulses
- Plasma rotation driven by lasers with zero angular momentum
- Angular momentum gain by electrons under action of intense structured light