Note: Characterization of the plasma parameters of a capillary discharge-produced plasma channel waveguide to guide an intense laser pulse

Takeshi Higashiguchi; Masafumi Hikida; Hiromitsu Terauchi; Jin-xiang Bai; Takashi Kikuchi; Yezheng Tao; Noboru Yugami

doi:10.1063/1.3397321

Note: Characterization of the plasma parameters of a capillary discharge-produced plasma channel waveguide to guide an intense laser pulse

Rev Sci Instrum. 2010 Apr;81(4):046109. doi: 10.1063/1.3397321.

Authors

Takeshi Higashiguchi¹, Masafumi Hikida, Hiromitsu Terauchi, Jin-xiang Bai, Takashi Kikuchi, Yezheng Tao, Noboru Yugami

Affiliation

¹ Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Sciences and Center for Optical Research and Education (CORE), Utsunomiya University, Yoto 7-1-2, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-8585, Japan. higashi@cc.utsunomiya-u.ac.jp

PMID: 20441382
DOI: 10.1063/1.3397321

Abstract

We demonstrated the production of an optical waveguide in a capillary discharge-produced plasma using a cylindrical capillary. Plasma parameters of its waveguide were characterized by use of both a Nomarski laser interferometer and a hydrogen plasma line spectrum. A space-averaged maximum temperature of 3.3 eV with electron densities of the order of 10(17) cm(-3) was observed at a discharge time of 150 ns and a maximum discharge current of 400 A. An ultrashort, intense laser pulse was guided by use of this plasma channel.