Relativistic laser self-focusing in a plasma with transverse magnetic field

Abstract

The relativistic self-focusing of an intense laser beam, propagating in a plasma transverse to the ambient magnetic field, has been studied using the slab model. The laser propagates in the extraordinary mode with Gaussian distribution of intensity in one transverse dimension and focuses in a periodic manner on the distance of propagation. The extent of self-focusing increases with increasing magnetic field. Both the minimum spot size and the self-focusing length decrease with magnetic field.