Self-Focusing Relativistic Electron Streams in Plasmas

Relativistic electron-mass variations due to the presence of intense electromagnetic radiation in the plasma cause a nonlinear refractive index. Using a variational principle the latter is obtained up to fourth order in the electric field amplitude and it is shown that nonlinear effects of the second order lead to self-focusing of a beam of radiation. By nonlinear optics considerations, the self- focusing length of an axially symmetric beam is obtained. Including higher- order dispersive effects it is shown that within the thin-beam approximation thecomplex electric field envelope obeys a cubic nonlinear Schrödinger equation with an attractive self-consistent potential. The cylindrically symmetric nonlinear Schrödinger equation predicts collapse of the radiation at the self-focusing distance. The nature of the self-focusing singularity is analysed and it is shown that higher-order nonlinearities saturate the amplitude. Then oscillations of beam radius along the axial direction occur.

Download Full-text

Self-focusing of relativistic electron bunches in a dense plasma

IEEE Conference Record - Abstracts. PPPS-2001 Pulsed Power Plasma Science 2001. 28th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science and 13th IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference (Cat. No.01CH37255) ◽

10.1109/ppps.2001.961346 ◽

2002 ◽

Author(s):

V.B. Krasovitskii

Keyword(s):

Relativistic Electron ◽

Dense Plasma ◽

Electron Bunches ◽

Self Focusing

Download Full-text

Study of intense relativistic electron beam self-focusing dynamics

Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion ◽

10.1088/0741-3335/27/1/003 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 47-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yu M Gorbulin ◽

E M Gordeev ◽

D M Zlotnikov ◽

Yu G Kalinin ◽

P V Kuksov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electron Beam ◽

Relativistic Electron ◽

Relativistic Electron Beam ◽

Self Focusing

Download Full-text

Self-focusing of an intense relativistic electron beam in a conical diode

Physics Letters A ◽

10.1016/0375-9601(79)90837-5 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 72 (6) ◽

pp. 435-438 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Z. Segalov ◽

Y. Goren ◽

Y. Carmel ◽

S. Eylon

Keyword(s):

Electron Beam ◽

Relativistic Electron ◽

Relativistic Electron Beam ◽

Self Focusing

Download Full-text

Focusing of an Intense Relativistic Electron Beam by a Hollow Conical Laser Beam

Zeitschrift für Naturforschung A ◽

10.1515/zna-1975-0809 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 30 (8) ◽

pp. 976-980

Author(s):

F. Winterberg

Keyword(s):

Laser Beam ◽

Relativistic Electron ◽

Radiation Pressure ◽

Relativistic Electron Beam ◽

Laser Light ◽

Electron Beams ◽

The Self ◽

Intense Laser ◽

Power Laser ◽

Self Focusing

Abstract Estimates suggest that the nonlinear transverse radiation pressure produced within a plasma by a convergent annular high power laser beam may lead to the focusing of an intense relativistic electron down to a radius of ~10-4 cm. The transverse radiation pressure results from the dielectric property of a plasma in conjunction with the phenomena of the self-focusing of intense laser light. The tightly focused electron beams would make possible the release of thermonuclear energy by micro-explosions.

Download Full-text

Self-focusing of Nonlinear Waves in a Relativistic Plasma with Positive and Negative Ions

Australian Journal of Physics ◽

10.1071/ph940773 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 47 (6) ◽

pp. 773 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Joydeep Mukherjee ◽

A Roy Chowdhury

Keyword(s):

Solitary Wave ◽

Spatial Variation ◽

Relativistic Electron ◽

Nonlinear Wave ◽

Nonlinear Waves ◽

Mutual Influence ◽

Negative Ions ◽

Relativistic Plasma ◽

Self Focusing ◽

Reductive Perturbation

We have analysed the phenomenon of self-focusing of nonlinear waves in a relativistic plasma consisting of both positive and negative ions, which are assumed to be hot. We also consider the effect of the inertia of the relativistic electron by treating it dynamically. A modified form of reductive perturbation is used to deduce a nonlinear Schr�dinger equation describing the purely spatial variation of the nonlinear wave. Self-focusing of the wave can be ascertained by analysing the transversal stability of the solitary wave. It is shown that the zones of stability of the wave may become wider due to the mutual influence of various factors present in the plasma, thus favouring the process of self-focusing.

Download Full-text