Ion acoustic wave assisted laser beat wave

terahertz generation in a plasma channel

Cite as: Phys. Plasmas 25, 043118 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5020686
Submitted: 26 December 2017 • Accepted: 06 April 2018 • Published Online: 25 April 2018

Yachna Tyagi, Deepak Tripathi, Keshav Walia, et al.

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Phys. Plasmas 25, 043118 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5020686 25, 043118

© 2018 Author(s).
 PHYSICS OF PLASMAS 25, 043118 (2018)

Ion acoustic wave assisted laser beat wave terahertz generation in a plasma
channel
Yachna Tyagi,1 Deepak Tripathi,1,a) Keshav Walia,2 and Deepak Garg3
1
Department of Physics, AIAS, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201303, India
2
Department of Physics, DAV University, Jalandhar, Punjab 144012, India
3
Department of Physics, G.G.D.S.D. College, Chandigarh, Punjab 160030, India
(Received 26 December 2017; accepted 6 April 2018; published online 25 April 2018)
Resonant excitation of terahertz (THz) radiation by non-linear mixing of two lasers in the presence
of an electrostatic wave is investigated. The electrostatic wave assists in k matching and contributes
to non-linear coupling. In this plasma channel, the electron plasma frequency becomes minimum
on the axis. The beat frequency ponderomotive force imparts an oscillating velocity to the elec-
trons. In the presence of an ion-acoustic wave, density perturbation due to the ion-acoustic wave
couples with the oscillating velocity of the electrons and give rise to non-linear current that gives
rise to an ion-acoustic wave frequency assisted THz radiation field. The normalized field amplitude
of ion acoustic wave assisted THz varies inversely for x=xp . The field amplitude of ion acoustic
wave assisted THz decreases as x=xp increases. Published by AIP Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5020686

I. INTRODUCTION
For the past few decades, terahertz (THz) radiation gen-
eration has emerged as an active area of research due to its
wide range of applications in medical imaging, material
characterization, spectroscopy, explosive detection, and
outer space communication.1–4 A number of schemes have
been proposed for THz generation.5–14 In a laser based
scheme, the conventional source, employing a short pulse
laser, employs large band gap semiconductors. These rely on
the swift creation of free electrons and the creation of tran-
sient current in a pre-existing dc electric field. The transient
current leads to the emission of THz pulses, mostly of single
cycle duration and low power THz (<1 lW). Intense short
laser pulse plasma interaction offers potential schemes15–21
for the generation of long pulse and high power THz genera-
tion (>1 MW), required for THz communication, remote
sensing and ultrafast material characterization.
Antosen et al.22 proposed a scheme of ponderomotive
force induced resonant terahertz generation in a ripple den-
sity plasma channel. The terahertz power scales as the square
of laser intensity. Gildenburg and Vvedenskii23 have put for-
ward a novel scheme for employing a femto-second laser
pulse on a low-density gas jet target to produce an oscillating
plasma cylinder that emits terahertz radiation. The laser
quickly tunnel-ionizes the gas in the axial region. The elec-
trons born inside the pulse retain a finite transverse momen-
tum after the passage of the pulse and set in oscillation the
electron plasma cylinder with respect to the ion cylinder,
producing THz radiation at the frequency of oscillation
pffiffiffi
xp = 2, where xp is the plasma frequency of the cylinder.
Another scheme is optical rectification and nonlinear
mixing of lasers. This scheme requires plasma inhomogene-
ity or density ripple to have ponderomotive force induced
a)
Electronic mail: deepakkrt@gmail.com
NL NL
current density J~ possess a finite curl (r  J~ 6¼ 0), so
that it could give rise to electromagnetic emission. Density
ripple further helps in the efficiency enhancement via phase
matching. Kumar and Tripathi24 investigated the resonant
generation by non-linear mixing of lasers propagating at an
angle to density ripple. Bhasin and Tripathi25 explored the
role of a transverse magnetic field in THz generation via
optical mixing. A density ripple of a suitable wave number
was employed for phase matching.
Jha and Verma26 have carried out a numerical study on
THz generation by a laser pulse in a magnetized plasma in
the presence of a transverse magnetic field. The process is
non-resonant as phase matching conditions are not satisfied.
As a consequence, the THz field amplitude varies periodi-
cally with the distance of propagation.
Bhasin et al.27 have investigated the resonant excitation
of THz radiation by non-linear mixing of two lasers in a
ripple-free self-created plasma channel in the presence of a
transverse static magnetic field. The THz wave is resonantly
driven by the laser beat wave ponderomotive force. The THz
amplitude scales almost three half power of the intensity of
the laser as the width of the THz eigen mode shrinks with
laser intensity.
Kumar et al.28 have investigated the non-linear mixing
of two Gaussian laser beams in a magnetized plasma channel
to excite a difference frequency terahertz radiation. The beat
frequency ponderomotive force imparts an oscillatory veloc-
ity to electrons that couple with a pre-existing density ripple
to produce a non-linear current, driving the THz radiation.
Kumar et al.29 investigated the beat wave excitation of
terahertz radiation by non-linear mixing of two laser pulses
in a rippled density magnetized plasma allowing the effect of
pulse slippage.
Kumar et al.30 have investigated the excitation of tera-
hertz radiation at a beat frequency by two infrared lasers
propagating in the TE/TM mode in a rippled density

1070-664X/2018/25(4)/043118/5/$30.00 25, 043118-1 Published by AIP Publishing.

043118-2 Tyagi et al. Phys. Plasmas 25, 043118 (2018)

semiconductor waveguide. Density ripples help in k- ~P ¼ er/P ;

F
matching and the magnetic field enhances the amplitude of m 
the terahertz wave. /P ¼  ~ v 1 þ ~
v 1 :~ v 2 ;
v 2 :~ (3)
2e
The new approach in this paper is that in the process of m  2  r2 =r2
/p ¼  v e 0;
terahertz radiation generation by non-linear mixing of a e 1
laser, an ion acoustic wave has to provide k-matching for the e2 A2
resonant terahertz radiation process. As the beat frequency where v21 ¼ m2 x0012 :
1
This force displaces electrons and displaced electrons
of the lasers is of the order of THz, for momentum conserva- ~s ¼ r/P .
create a space charge field. In the steady state, E
tion, a large value of k is required for phase matching; hence,
The modified electron density “n” of the laser created chan-
the involvement of the ion acoustic wave.
In this paper, we propose THz radiation generation nel can be obtained from the first Maxwell equation
assisted by an ion acoustic wave. The physics of the process ~s ¼ q=e0 ;
rE
is as follows: Two collinear laser beams of frequencies x1 e  (4)
and x1 , of spot size r0 (>100 lm), propagating through a r2 / P ¼  n  n00 :
e0
plasma, exert a ponderomotive force on electrons, creating a
plasma channel. In this plasma channel, the electron plasma In the limit r2 =r02 <1, the modified density can be written as
frequency becomes minimum on the axis. The beat fre-
quency ponderomotive force imparts an oscillating velocity n ¼ n01 þ n00 ar2 =r02 ;

 
to the electrons. If an ion-acoustic wave pre-exists in the 4  2 8 v21 (5)
0
plasma, then the density perturbation due to the ion-acoustic n01 ¼ n0 1  2 2 v1 ; a¼ 2 2 :
r0 x P r0 xP
wave couples with the oscillating velocity of the electrons
and give rise to non-linear current that gives rise to the ion- This density has a minimum on the laser axis and increases
acoustic wave frequency assisted THz radiation field. with r; giving a plasma channel with a refractive index
In Sec. II, we analyze the THz eigen mode of a plasma maximum on the laser axis. The channel behaves as a self-
channel formed by laser beams. In Sec. III, we deduce the focusing lens. For r0  xcP , the nonlinear self-focusing
condition of phase matching and study resonant ion-acoustic overtakes diffraction divergence when the beam velocity v1
wave assisted THz generation inside the plasma channel. In is not too smaller than “c.”
Secs. IV and V, we discuss and summarize the results. Now, the wave equation for the THz wave of beat fre-
quency x at a modified density can be calculated by combin-
ing Maxwell’s third and fourth equations and taking the
II. EIGEN MODE OF THE LASER CREATED CHANNEL effect of medium in e; so, the wave equation is
Consider a plasma of electron density n00 . Two high 2
intensity lasers of frequencies x1 and x2 propagate through r2 E ~ þ x ðe E
~  rðr  EÞ ~Þ ¼ 0 ; (6)
the plasma (Fig. 1) under an electric field c2
2
where e ¼ 1  xc2 nn0 for @r@e
E < @E
@r (for a gradual change in the
~j ¼ _x A0j eðxj tkj zÞ ;
E 0
(1) density w.r.t. r) and one may ignore the second term of Eq.
2
=r02 ~ as eiðxtkz zÞ and
A20j ¼ A200j er : (6). On taking the (t, z) dependence of E
 1=2 introducing dimensionless quantities, we get
n00 e2 !1=4
j ¼ 1; 2; x1  x2  xP ; xP ¼ ; c 2 2
r r
me0 a0 ¼ 0
; n¼ ;
kj ¼ xj =c; A01  A02 : ax2P a
" ! #
2
02 x x2P n01 2
Here, “-e” and “m” are the charge and the mass of the elec- k¼a 1  2 : 0  kz :
tron, respectively, and e0 is the free space permittivity. c2 x0 n0
When lasers are propagating in the plasma, they impart Equation (6) can be written as
an oscillatory velocity to electrons
@ 2 E 1 @E
~ ~j =mixj :
v j ¼ eE (2) þ þ ðk  n2 ÞE ¼ 0: (7)
@n2 n @n
And, exert a ponderomotive force on them The wave function and the eigen value of Eq. (7) are

FIG. 1. Flow chart of terahertz

generation.
043118-3 Tyagi et al. Phys. Plasmas 25, 043118 (2018)

2
=2a02 i ðxtkz zÞ
Ez ¼ Aer e : The lasers exert a beat ponderomotive force on the elec-
0
(8) trons at frequency x0 ¼ x1  x2 and wave vector k~z ¼ ~ k1
k ¼ 2:
 k~2
And, the dispersion relation of the wave is ~P ¼ er/P ;
F (11)
! pffiffiffi
2 x2 x2P n01 4 2v1 m ~ ~
where /P ¼  2e v1  v2:
ðkz Þ ¼ 2 1  2 0  : (9)
c x n0 cr02 0
Replacing r by ik~ z

As it is obvious from the dispersion relation, the wave vector 2~ 0

depends on the density, the laser spot size and the frequency ~P ¼  ie k z jE
F ~1 j2 : (12)
of the wave. Hence, we have plotted normalized kz vs nor- 2mx1 x2
malized terahertz frequency x=xp in Fig. 2 for different val- This force imparts an oscillatory velocity to the electrons
ues (1, 3, 5) of the normalized laser spot by taking the
density ratio to be 0.1. kz increases as x=xp increases in a ~P
F
v NL
~ x0 ¼  :
parabolic manner and is found to be almost independent of mix0
the normalized laser spot size. ~p from Eq. (12)
Substituting the value of F
0
III. ION-ACOUSTIC WAVE ASSISTED THz e2 ~
kz ~1 j2 :
v NL
~ x0 ¼ jE (13)
GENERATION 2m x0 x1 x2
2

We have already calculated the beat frequency eigen In the presence of an ion-acoustic wave, this velocity beats
mode in a plasma in the absence of any density oscillation or with density perturbation due to the ion-acoustic wave pro-
wiggler. Now, if this mode is coupled with the density oscil- ducing a non-linear current density
lation of an ion acoustic wave then, it could give rise to a NL 1
non-linear current of frequency x þ x0 . As the frequency of J~x ¼  nX e~
v NL
x0 : (14)
2
the ion acoustic wave is very small, the radiation frequency
will be approximately x. Here, nX is the density perturbation due to the ion-acoustic
Now, we assume the plasma to possess an ion-acoustic wave.
wave31 of potential /X ¼ AeiðXtqz zÞ propagating in the z- v NL
Substituting the value of ~ x0 in Eq. (14)
direction. Then, in the presence of an ion acoustic wave, 0
lasers beat together to produce a THz wave of frequency NL 1 e3 nX k~z jA001 j2 r2 =r2 iðxtkz zÞ
J~x ¼  e 0e
x ¼ x1  x2  X and the wave vector kz ¼ k1  k2  qz if 4 m2 x x1 x2
0
kz  xc ¼ x X 0 0
c , where x ¼ x1  x2 , kz ¼ k1  k2 and ¼ C0 ~
0 2 2
k er =r0 eiðxtkz zÞ ; (15)
0 z
x ¼ x  X: 2
e3 n jA j
Substituting this value in Eq. (9), we get where C0 ¼  14 m2 xX0 x1001x2 :
The wave equation for the ion-acoustic wave assisted
X2 2x0 X x2p n10 pffiffiffi v1
¼  2 0 4 2 2; (10) THz radiation is
2
cs ccs c n0 cr0
~x þ x2 ~ ix NL
where “cs” is the speed of sound in the plasma. r2 E e E x ¼  2 J~x : (16)
c2 c e0

Taking the z-component of the wave equation

" !#
@ 2 Ez 2 x2 x2P n01 r2 iðxÞ ~NL 
þ r ? Ez þ 1  þ a E z ¼  J ;
@z2 c2 x2 n00 r02 c 2 e0 x z
(17)
" ( !) #
x2 x2P n01 r2
r2? Ez þ 1 þ a  ðkz Þ2 Ez
c2 x2 n00 r02
iðxÞ 2 2
¼ 2
C0 kz0 er =r0 eiðxtkz zÞ : (18)
c e0

FIG. 2. Variation of normalized kz vs normalized terahertz frequency x=xp
for different values (1, 3, 5) of normalized laser spot.
In the absence of the right hand side terms, Eq. (18) reduces
to Eq. (7), with the eigen function given by Eq. (8).
On including the non-linear density in Eq. (7), we
assume that the mode structure remains the same, and
only the mode amplitude acquires a slow z dependence.
Substituting for Ez in Eq. (18), we get
043118-4 Tyagi et al. Phys. Plasmas 25, 043118 (2018)

@Az r2 =2a02 iðxtkz zÞ ix 2 2

2ikz :e :e ¼  2 :C0 ker =r0 eiðxtkz zÞ :
@z c e0
(19)
2 =2a02
Multiplying the resulting equation by er rdr and inte-
grating over r from 0 ! 1
ð
1
ix C0 kz0 r2 =r2 r2 =2a02
 e 0e rdr
c 2 e0
@Az 0
2ikz ¼ ð
1 (20)
@z 2 02 2 02
er =2a
er =2a
rdr
0

we obtain
@Az x C0 kz0 FIG. 3. Variation of normalized amplitude (Az =A001 ) vs normalized fre-
2kz ¼   (21) quency x=xp for different values of x0 =xp (1.5, 2, 3) for the THz wave.
@z 2 02
1 1
c e0 a  2 þ 02
r0 2a
radiation generation. However, in a plasma channel with the
or radial variation of plasma density and Gaussian laser inten-
NL
sity, r  ~J 6¼ 0 and one gets the excitation of electromag-
@Az x C k0
¼  0 z ; (22) netic radiation.
@z c
2 c2 e0 kz pffiffiffi þ 1=2 For creating a plasma channel capable of guiding THz
2 2v1 radiation, one needs a spot size r0  c=x (at 1 lm laser
x C0 kz0 z wavelength, this corresponds to the laser intensity of
Az ¼    3  1016W/cm2). The THz spot size decreases with increas-
c
c2 e0 kz pffiffiffi þ 1 ing laser amplitude as more electrons are expelled from the
2v1
axial region. The ion acoustic wave assists in k matching.
1 e3 x kz0 nX jA001 j2 z The phase matching condition of the ion acoustic wave
¼  : (23)
4 m2 c2 e0 x0 x1 x2 kz pffifficffi þ 1 assisted in laser beat wave THz radiation generation is satis-
0
2v1 fied at a specific value of kz  xc ¼ x X c , which leads to a
specific value of X=xpi for a normalized frequency x0 =xP .
The normalized amplitude At r0 xP =c  1, X=xpi is independent of a normalized laser
spot giving phase matching a linear function of normalized
Az 1 nX kz0 x x2P e A001 z 1
¼ 
c
: (24) frequency x0 =xP .
A001 4 n00 kz x0 x1 x2 m c2 pffiffiffi þ 1 The normalized field amplitude of the ion acoustic wave
v1 2 assisted THz varies inversely to x=xp . Hence, the field
amplitude of the ion acoustic wave assisted THz decreases
We have carried out the numerical calculations for ion
as x=xp increases. The effect of increasing x0 =xp increases
acoustic wave assisted THz generation for the following
the maximum value of normalized amplitude.
parameters: for a normalized amplitude, we have taken the
normalized plasma length xc z=c ¼ 100, nX =n00 ¼ 0.3, v1 =c
V. CONCLUSION
¼ 0.1, xxP ¼ 0:01; and the value of the normalized beat fre-
0
quency xxp ¼ 1:5; 2; 3. In a plasma channel with the radial variation of plasma
NL
Figure 3 shows the variation of normalized amplitude density and Gaussian laser intensity, r  ~ J 6¼ 0 and one
versus normalized frequency x=xp for different values of gets the excitation of electromagnetic radiation. One can
x0 =xp (1.5, 2, 3) for the THz wave. The field amplitude of excite a difference frequency terahertz radiation by non-
ion acoustic wave assisted THz decreases sharply as x=xp linear mixing of two Gaussian laser beams with the k-
0
increases. The effect of increasing x0 =xp increases the maxi- matching met from an ion acoustic wave (kz  xc ¼ x X c )
mum value of the normalized amplitude. (electrostatic wave). Phase matching requires a particular
For a CO2 laser of wavelength in the 10.6 lm and value of the wave vector.
10.8 lm range, these parameters correspond to the laser As the field amplitude of ion acoustic wave assisted tera-
intensity of 3  1014 W/cm2, the electron density of n00 ¼ 4 hertz radiation decreases with the increase in x=xp , a strong
 1018 cm3 and jE1 ; E2 j 4.65  1010 V/m. field is generated at a lower value of x=xp .

IV. DISCUSSION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

NL
The non-linear current density is axial (~
J is parallel One of the authors, Deepak Tripathi, is thankful to
to ^
z ). In a uniform plasma and with laser beams of uniform Professor V. K. Tripathi, for valuable discussions and
NL
intensity, r  ~ J ¼0 and one cannot have electromagnetic support.
043118-5 Tyagi et al. Phys. Plasmas 25, 043118 (2018)

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