Effects of relativistic and channel focusing on q-Gaussian laser beam propagating in a preformed parabolic plasma channel

• Published in: Physics letters. A 2017-07, Vol.381 (25-26), p.2065-2071
• Main Authors: Wang, Li, Hong, Xue-Ren, Sun, Jian-An, Tang, Rong-An, Yang, Yang, Zhou, Wei-Jun, Tian, Jian-Min, Duan, Wen-Shan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Preformed plasma channel; Propagation characteristic; q-Gaussian laser beam
• ISSN: 0375-9601; 1873-2429
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physleta.2017.04.033

The propagation of q-Gaussian laser beam in a preformed plasma channel is investigated by means of the variational method. A differential equation for the spot size has been obtained by including the effects of relativistic self-focusing, ponderomotive self-channeling and preformed channel focusing. The propagation behaviors and their corresponding physical conditions are identified. The comparison of the propagation between q-Gaussian and Gaussian laser beams is done by theoretical and numerical analysis. It is shown that, in the same channel, the focusing power of q-Gaussian laser beam is lower than that of Gaussian laser beam, i.e., the q-Gaussian laser beam is easier to focus than Gaussian laser beam. •Some behaviors for Gaussian laser are also found for q-Gaussian one.•The parameter regions corresponding to different laser behaviors are given.•Influence of q on the laser propagation behavior is obvious.•The q-Gaussian laser beam is easier to focus than the Gaussian one.