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A Local-Field Approach to Understanding Multibeam Laser–Plasma Instabilities

ORAL

Abstract

Laser–plasma instabilities such as stimulated Raman scattering and two-plasmon decay present a major challenge for laser-driven inertial confinement fusion. Predicting the severity of these instabilities requires a model that captures the complex, 3-D interaction of multiple laser beams, including effects such as speckle, polarization, and bandwidth. Analytic approaches typically employ the frequency and wave-vector matching condition for multiple laser beams to drive a shared daughter wave while neglecting the local field structure that results from the interference between many overlapping beams. Three-dimensional simulations, on the other hand, capture the full interaction dynamics and field structure but can obscure the underlying physical processes. Here we introduce an intermediate approach that uses a simplified model of the local field structure to study the impact of multibeam interactions on absolute instabilities.

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Presenters

  • Russell K Follett

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics - Rochester, University of Rochester Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Physics, and Computer Science, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

Authors

  • Russell K Follett

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics - Rochester, University of Rochester Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Physics, and Computer Science, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Dustin H Froula

    University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Lab for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Andrei V Maximov

    University of Rochester, Lab for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Andrey Solodov

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Lab for Laser Energetics

  • Han Wen

    University of Rochester

  • Jason F Myatt

    U. of Alberta, Univ of Alberta

  • Jason W Bates

    United States Naval Research Laboratory, NRL

  • John P Palastro

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Lab for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester