Self-focusing of Hermite-Gaussian laser beams in plasma under plasma density ramp

Self-focusing of Hermite-Gaussian laser beams in plasma under plasma density ramp has been investigated. It is known that a laser beam shows an oscillatory self-focusing and defocusing behavior with the propagation distance. To overcome the defocusing, localized upward plasma density ramp is introduced, so that the laser beam attains a minimum spot size and maintains it with only a mild ripple. The density ramp could be important for the self-focusing of a Hermite-Gaussian laser by choosing the laser and plasma parameters appropriately. Self-focusing becomes stronger as the propagation distance increases. The behavior of beam-width parameters with the distance of propagation is presented graphically. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.