Nonlinear Optics in Highly Relativistic Plasmas

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This project will capitalize on improvements in laser technology that make it possible to generate extremely high laser intensities to probe in detail the highly relativistic parameter regime of laser-plasma interactions. Previous results on harmonic generation from relativistic Thomson scattering will be extended into the XUV spectral region, and the dependence of the harmonic generation on laser and plasma parameters will be explored. Previously observed ion acceleration will be studied in more detail to understand the origin of the ions and the behavior of the acceleration as a function of laser parameters. This work has technological applications to the generation of short x-ray radiation, the ignition of laser-fusion targets, and compact and inexpensive medical radiation sources.