Propagation characteristics of two-color laser pulses in homogeneous plasma

An analytical and numerical study of the evolution of two-color, sinusoidal laser pulses in cold, underdense, and homogeneous plasma has been presented. The wave equations for the radiation fields driven by linear as well as nonlinear contributions due to the two-color laser pulses have been set up. A variational technique is used to obtain the simultaneous equations describing the evolution of the laser spot size, pulse length, and chirp parameter. Numerical methods are used to graphically analyze the simultaneous evolution of these parameters due to the combined effect of the two-color laser pulses. Further, the pulse parameters are compared with those obtained for a single laser pulse. Significant focusing, compression, and enhanced positive chirp is obtained due to the combined effect of simultaneously propagating two-color pulses as compared to a single pulse propagating in plasma. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.