Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 036401 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Physical Review E |
| Volume | 84 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Sep 2011 |
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Keywords
- quantum plasma
- Dirac equation
- electromagnetic wave coupling
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Nonlinear propagation of light in Dirac matter. / Eliasson, Bengt; Shukla, P. K.
In: Physical Review E, Vol. 84, No. 3, 036401, 01.09.2011.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Nonlinear propagation of light in Dirac matter
AU - Eliasson, Bengt
AU - Shukla, P. K.
PY - 2011/9/1
Y1 - 2011/9/1
N2 - The nonlinear interaction between intense laser light and a quantum plasma is modeled by a collective Dirac equation coupled with the Maxwell equations. The model is used to study the nonlinear propagation of relativistically intense laser light in a quantum plasma including the electron spin-1/2 effect. The relativistic effects due to the high-intensity laser light lead, in general, to a downshift of the laser frequency, similar to a classical plasma where the relativistic mass increase leads to self-induced transparency of laser light and other associated effects. The electron spin-1/2 effects lead to a frequency upshift or downshift of the electromagnetic (EM) wave, depending on the spin state of the plasma and the polarization of the EM wave. For laboratory solid density plasmas, the spin-1/2 effects on the propagation of light are small, but they may be significant in superdense plasma in the core of white dwarf stars. We also discuss extensions of the model to include kinetic effects of a distribution of the electrons on the nonlinear propagation of EM waves in a quantum plasma.
AB - The nonlinear interaction between intense laser light and a quantum plasma is modeled by a collective Dirac equation coupled with the Maxwell equations. The model is used to study the nonlinear propagation of relativistically intense laser light in a quantum plasma including the electron spin-1/2 effect. The relativistic effects due to the high-intensity laser light lead, in general, to a downshift of the laser frequency, similar to a classical plasma where the relativistic mass increase leads to self-induced transparency of laser light and other associated effects. The electron spin-1/2 effects lead to a frequency upshift or downshift of the electromagnetic (EM) wave, depending on the spin state of the plasma and the polarization of the EM wave. For laboratory solid density plasmas, the spin-1/2 effects on the propagation of light are small, but they may be significant in superdense plasma in the core of white dwarf stars. We also discuss extensions of the model to include kinetic effects of a distribution of the electrons on the nonlinear propagation of EM waves in a quantum plasma.
KW - quantum plasma
KW - Dirac equation
KW - electromagnetic wave coupling
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevE.84.036401
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevE.84.036401
M3 - Article
VL - 84
JO - Physical Review E
JF - Physical Review E
SN - 1539-3755
IS - 3
M1 - 036401
ER -