Chapter 4

Second harmonic generation by circularly polarized laser beam propagating

in obliquely magnetized plasma

An analytical study of generation of second harmonic radiation by the

interaction of a circularly polarized laser beam with obliquely magnetized plasma

has been presented. The laser electric field is considered to be either right or left

circularly polarized. The external magnetic field, is applied at an angle  with

respect to the propagation direction of the laser beam. A perturbative technique is

used to evaluate the transverse components of current density in the mildly

relativistic regime. The current density obtained with the help of Lorentz force and

continuity equations, oscillates at twice the fundamental frequency of the laser field

and drives the second harmonic content of the radiation field. The amplitude of the

second harmonic radiation is derived and its variation with obliqueness of the

applied magnetic field is graphically depicted. The variation of detuning length of

the normalized second harmonic amplitude with obliqueness of applied magnetic

field has also been shown.

4.1 Electron dynamics in obliquely magnetized plasma

Consider a circularly polarized laser beam propagating along the z -direction

in obliquely magnetized plasma having ambient electron density n0 . The

1
configuration for electromagnetic field and obliquely applied magnetic field are

respectively given by

 2
E0 r
E xˆ cosk 0r z  r0 t   yˆ sink 0r z  r0 t , (4.1)
r 1 1 2

 2 ck E0 r
B   0r xˆ sink 0r z  r0 t   yˆ cosk 0r z  r0 t  (4.2)
r 1 r 0 1 2

and


b  b0  yˆ sin   zˆ cos   (4.3)

where r , E 0 r , k 0 r and  0 are the frequency multiplication factor, amplitude, wave

number and frequency of the laser beam.   1 or -1 respectively represent right

or left circular polarization of the laser beam. The external magnetic field lying in

the y - z plane is applied at an angle  with respect to the z - axis as shown in Fig.

4.1. The wave equation governing the electric field of the laser beam propagating

in plasma is given by

 2 1  2   4  
   2 2  E  2 J, (4.4)
 c t  c t


where J is the plasma electron current density. In order to obtain the evolution

of amplitude of second harmonic radiation, the current density is derived by

2
Fig. 4.1 Magnetic field applied in the y  z plane, at angle  0 with respect to the

laser propagation direction  z  .

3
evaluating the plasma electron velocity and density respectively using the Lorentz

force equation


v
t

e  1       
m 
 
E  v  B  b   v. v ,    (4.5)
c 

and the continuity equation

ne  
 .ne v   0 , (4.6)
t

 
where   1  v 2 c 2 1 2
 is the relativistic factor, v and m represent the velocity
and rest mass of the plasma electrons.

All laser and plasma parameters are perturbatively expanded in orders of

the radiation field for the mildly relativistic case under consideration. The

equations governing first order velocity components are obtained from Eq. (4.5)

as,

v x1
  E x1  v y1c cos   v z1c sin   ,
e
(4.7a)
t m

v y1
t

e 1
m

E y  v x1 c cos  , (4.7b)

and

v z1
 v x1 c sin  , (4.7c)
t

4
where c  eb0 mc is the cyclotron frequency of plasma electrons.

Differentiating Eq. (4.7a) with respect to time, substituting Eqs. (4.7b), (4.7c) and

(4.1) gives the second order differential equation for v x1 . The solution is then

substituted into Eqs. (4.7b) and (4.7c). Thus the first order quiver velocity

components are given by

2
a0 r c 1    r  cos  
v x1    sin k 0 r z  r 0 t  ,
r 1


1   2  1   r 
2


(4.8a)

vy  
1
2
a0 r c  
 1   r 2 sin 2    r  cos  
 cosk 0 r z  r 0 t  ,
r 1

1 2  
1   r 
2
 
(4.8b)

2   r sin  1    r  cos  
a0 r c
v z1     cosk 0 r z  r 0 t  ,
r 1

1 2  
1   r 
2
 
(4.8c)

where a0r  eE0r mcr0  is the normalized amplitude of the laser field and

 c 0  is the normalized cyclotron frequency.

The first order equation governing the variation of plasma electron density

with time is obtained from Eq. (4.6) as

ne1  0   1
 .ne v   0 , (4.9)
t

Hence the first order perturbation in electron density, arising due to the external

magnetic field is given by,

5
  a0 r ne ck 0 r  r sin  1    r  cos  
 0 
2

    cosk0r z  r0t  ,
1
ne
r 1 
 1
2

r 0 1   r 
2
 


(4.10)

where ne0   n0  is the plasma electron density before the passage of the laser

beam. It may be noted that when   0 and    2 rad , the plasma electron

quiver velocity and density reduce to that obtained for a linearly polarized laser

beam propagating in a transversely magnetized plasma [45]. The Lorentz force

equation (4.5) is further expanded to obtain the second order equations for plasma

electron velocity components as

v x2  v 1
v z B y  v z1 x  v y2 c cos   v z2 c sin   ,
e 1 1
 (4.11a)
t mc z

v y2 e 1 1 v y 1

 v z Bx  v z1  v x2 c cos  , (4.11b)
t mc z

v z2  v 1
t

mc
v x B y  v y1 Bx1   v z1 z  v x2 c sin  .
e 1 1
z
(4.11c)

Eqs.(4.11) are simultaneously solved after substituting Eqs.(4.2) and (4.8) to give,

  
2 2
a01c k 01
2 
  2  1   2 cos   sin  sin 2k 01 z  0 t  ,
 
vx (4.12a)
1   80
2

  
2 2
a01c k 01
v y2    3   2  2 sin  cos  cos 2k 01 z   0 t  ,
 
1   160
2
(4.12b)

6
and

  
2 2
2  a 01c k 01
 4 2 sin 2    2 cos 2   1
 
vz
1   16 0
2
. (4.12c)
  2
 
 1 4   2 sin 2  cos 2k 01 z   0 t 

While deriving Eqs.(4.12), nonlinear terms arising on account of the amplitude

a02  of the second harmonic frequency of the laser beam have been neglected

since a02  a01 . Also, the laser frequency is assumed to be much greater than the

plasma electron cyclotron frequency   1 . Hence the third and higher powers

of  have been neglected. It may be noted that the second order transverse

velocity components, oscillating at the second harmonic of the fundamental laser

frequency, reduce to zero for axially   0 rad  applied magnetic field.

The current density expanded perturbatively, upto the second order, is

    
 

given by J  J 1  J 2   e n0 v 1  ne1v 1  n0 v 2  . Substituting the plasma

electron velocities (Eqs. (4.8) and (4.12)) and density (Eq. (4.10)), the transverse

current density components are given by

  a 01  1   cos  
J x  n0 ec    sin k 01 z   0 t 
 1  1 
2 2
  
a02  1    2 cos  
  sin k 02 z  2 0 t 


1   2  1   2
2
  (4.13a)


3      10 cos   sin  sin 2k
2
a 01ck 01
 2
z   0 t 

1   2 8 0 01


7
 and

 
 a 01  1   2 sin 2    cos   
J y  n0 ec    cosk 01 z   0 t 
 1 
2 1  2   

 2

a 02  1   2 sin 2    2 cos  
 cosk 02 z  2 0 t 

1 2  1   2 
2
  (4.13b)

8  11  9  cos   sin  cos 2k

2
a 01ck 01
 2
z  0t 
 
1   2 16 0
01

 8  1    cos   sin  

2
.

Eq. (4.13) shows that the transverse current densities oscillate at the fundamental

as well as second harmonic frequency of the laser field. Oscillations at the second

harmonic frequency arise due to the obliqueness of the applied magnetic field. The

nonlinear current density components reduce to zero if the applied magnetic field

is switched off or is applied at   0 rad (axially magnetized plasma).

Substituting the linear current density into the wave equation (4.4) and equating

terms oscillating at the fundamental frequency gives the linear dispersion relation

for the x and y components of the laser electric field as

 1   cos  
c 2 k 01
2
  02   p2  
 
(4.14a)
 1 
2
 

and

 2
c k   0   p 
2 2
2 2

2  1   sin    cos  
 
.
01
   1  2    (4.14b)

8
The linear dispersion relation for the second harmonic frequency can be similarly

obtained as

 1    2 cos  
 4 02   p2 
c 2 k 02
  
2
(4.15a)
 1   2
2
 

and

  
 1   22 sin 2    2 cos  
 4 02   p2 
c 2 k 02
   .
2
(4.15b)
   1   22 

It is interesting to note that the dispersion relation for the x and y components of

the electric vector are unequal for fundamental (Eq. (4.14)) as well as the second

harmonic (Eq.(4.15)) frequencies. However, considering either   1 or –1, the

 
difference arising due to obliqueness of the magnetic field is small   2 .

4.2 Second harmonic generation

In order to obtain the amplitude of second harmonic field, the current

densities given by Eqs. (4.13) are respectively substituted into the x and y

components of the wave equation (4.4) and second harmonic terms on both sides

are equated. Assuming that the second harmonic amplitude is varying slowly with

  2 a02 a 
propagation distance   k 02 02  and substituting second harmonic
 z
2
z 

9
dispersion relation (Eq. (4.15)), the evolution of amplitude of the x as well as y

component of the second harmonic electric field, for right   1 and left

  1 circularly polarized radiation is governed by

a02
2
ia 01 p2 k 01  5  
z
 1  2  cos   sin   exp ik 2 z  , (4.16)
4 2c0 k 02   

where k 2  2k 01  k 02 is the phase mismatch for   1 . Since the governing

equation for the amplitude of the transverse components of the second harmonic

radiation (Eq. (4.16)) is the same, under the present approximation scheme, the

generated radiation will be circularly polarized. The rotation (clockwise or anti-

clockwise) of the electric vector, will correspond to that of the pump radiation

field. The propagation constants of the fundamental and second harmonic

radiation fields are respectively represented by the average values obtained from

Eqs. (4.14) and (4.15), as

1   cos    2 2sin 2  
12
1
  02   p2  
k 01
c  1   2  
(4.17)

and

1 2 2 1   2  cos    8sin 
 2 2

 4 0   p 
k 02
c   
1   2
2
 

(4.18)

10
It is seen that the values of k 01 , k 02 and k 2 for a given obliqueness angle  

for   1 are smaller than those obtained for   1. Integrating Eq. (4.16) with

respect to z gives the amplitude of second harmonic radiation as,

2
ia 01 p2 k 01  5  
a02  1  2  cos   sin   exp ik 2 z 2. sin k 2 z 2 .
2 2c0 k 02 k 2   

(4.19)

The modulus of second harmonic amplitude is given by

2
a01 p2 k 01  5  
a02  1  2  cos   sin   sin k 2 z 2 . (4.20)
2 2c 0 k 02 k 2   

Eq. (4.20) shows that the amplitude of second harmonic radiation is a function of

the magnitude as well as obliqueness angle of the magnetic field. The amplitude is

periodic in z and the minimum propagation distance (detuning length) for which

it attains a maximum value is given by z  Ld   k 2 . The second harmonic

amplitude increases with z upto interaction length z  Ld , and then decreases

for z  Ld .

The ratio of amplitude of the electric field of the second harmonic with

respect to that of the fundamental frequency gives an estimate of second harmonic

conversion efficiency as

11
 E02 2 a02
2   . (4.21)
E01 a01

Hence the normalized amplitude of second harmonic radiation is given by

a01 p2 k 01  5  
2  1  2  cos   sin   sin k 2 z 2 . (4.22)
2c 0 k 02 k 2   

For a given set of laser and plasma parameters, the second harmonic amplitude

varies with the propagation distance as well as the magnitude and direction of the

magnetic field. Therefore a detailed analysis can be performed with the help of

graphical depiction.

4.3 Graphical analysis

A three dimensional variation of the normalized amplitude of second

harmonic radiation with angle of applied magnetic field as well as propagation

distance is depicted in Fig. 4.2 for a laser field of wavelength 0  0.8m ,

a01  0.3 , ( I 0  1.921 1017 W cm 2 ),  p 0  0.1 , ( n0  1.743  1019 cm 3 ),

c 0  .005 b0  70Tesla  and   1 . It is seen that the oscillating

normalized amplitude of second harmonic radiation attains a maximum value

6.9 10  when the magnetic field is applied at   

3
2 rad . The maximum

intensity of the second harmonic radiation is found to be 4.065  1012 W cm 2 . This

12
value reduces with decreasing  . The distance at which the first maximum

amplitude is obtained for a given value of  is the detuning length. For the same

magnetic field, laser and plasma parameters, the amplitude obtained for   1 is

nearly the same as shown in Fig. 4.2. The amplitude for right and left circular

polarization is expected to differ for higher magnetic fields.

In order to observe the difference in amplitude of the second harmonic for right

and left circularly polarized radiation, a higher magnetic field has been considered

in Fig. 4.3. The figure shows the variation of normalized maximum amplitude of

second harmonic radiation  2 max  with obliqueness angle (  ) for   1 (solid

curve) and   1 (dotted curve). The normalized magnetic field (  ) is

considered to be 0.1 while the other parameters are the same as in Fig. 4.2. It is

seen that the maximum amplitude increases with obliqueness angle for right as

well as left circularly polarized second harmonic radiation. However, larger

amplitude is obtained for right circularly polarized radiation. Both amplitudes are

approximately the same when    / 2 rad . If the magnetic field is reduced

(  <<1), the difference between  2 max for   1 and   1 , becomes

insignificant. The variation of detuning length Ld  of the normalized second

harmonic amplitude with obliqueness of the applied magnetic field   is shown

in Fig. 4.4 for 0  0.8m ,  p 0  0.1 and   0.005 . It is seen that the

detuning length gradually increases with increase in obliqueness angle for   1

13
Fig.4.2 Variation of normalized second harmonic amplitude  2 with

obliqueness of applied magnetic field  rad  and propagation distance

z cm  , for, a01  0.3 , 0  0.8m ,  p 0  0.1 ,   0.005

and   1.

14
Fig.4.3 Variation of normalized maximum amplitude of second harmonic

radiation  2 max with obliqueness of applied magnetic field  rad  for

  1 (solid curve) and   1 (dotted curve) for a01  0.3 ,

0  0.8m ,  p 0  0.1 and   0.1 .

15
(solid curve) while it decreases for   1 (dotted curve). The maximum

 
(minimum) detuning length 5.34  10 3 cm of second harmonic amplitude for

right (left) circularly polarized laser beam is obtained when    2 rad .

The present study indicates the possibility of generating circularly

polarized second harmonic radiation in plasma embedded in an arbitrarily oriented

magnetic field. The intensity of the generated radiation can be manipulated by

varying the strength or orientation of the magnetic field. Conversely, observation

of second harmonic radiation in homogeneous plasma points towards the

possibility of presence of magnetic fields in the laser-plasma system.

16
Fig.4.4 Variation of detuning length Ld  of the normalized second harmonic

amplitude with obliqueness of applied magnetic field  rad  for

  1 (solid curve) and   1 (dotted curve), for a01  0.3 ,

0  0.8m ,  p 0  0.1 and   0.005 .

17