Second-Harmonic Generation of Raman Scattered Light in a Plasma Channel

Phys. Rev. E 54, 4098 (1996)https://ireap.umd.edu/10.1103/PhysRevE.54.40981996Journal ArticlePlasma, Accelerator, and Nuclear Physics

The experimental results of Krushelnick et al. on second-harmonic generation of Raman scattered light at 45° to the backscatter direction may be understood as follows. The intense short pulse laser produces a plasma wave via Raman backscattering. In the region of the wake, the plasma shrinks in size, and forms a narrow plasma channel, of a few plasma periods width. The channel breaks into bubbles via oscillating two-stream instability on a picosecond time scale. The Raman backscattered light propagating through the channel of bubbles generates a second harmonic, observed at oblique angles.