Refraction effects on the cavity formation and interaction of an intense ultra-short laser pulse with a gas jet

Formation of a plasma cavity with a shock wave in gas jets irradiated by tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses causes the wave break of the laser wake field at the front of the shock wave and, as a result, the injection of electrons into the acceleration phase of the wake-field wave. A strong crescentlike deformation of the cavity and a change in electron signal are observed with gas density growth. It is attributed to a mutual effect of the cavity on the laser pulse propagation and break of the plasma wake field due to refraction of the laser pulse. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.