Laser-produced plasma diffusion across a transverse magnetic field

A one-dimensional numerical result for laser-produced plasma diffusion across a transverse uniform magnetic field is presented. The laser with a Gaussian distribution of intensity perpendicular to the direction of propagation creates a plasma, which is allowed to expand across a transverse magnetic field. As the laser beam propagates, the density of electrons decreases on the axis, and a plasma channel evolves. The spatial and the temporal behaviors of the plasma parameters, like the electron density and the velocity, with the radial distance from the channel axis in the presence of a magnetic field are reported. The results, experimental and simulated, are compared and are found to be in reasonable agreement.