Plasma Concept for Generating Circularly Polarized Electromagnetic Waves with Relativistic Amplitude

TL;DR

This paper proposes a plasma-based device that uses a magnetized plasma foil to efficiently generate intense circularly polarized electromagnetic waves, which are crucial for high energy density plasma research.

Contribution

It introduces a novel plasma photonic device capable of producing intense CP waves with relativistic amplitudes using a magnetized plasma foil.

Findings

Numerical simulations demonstrate effective polarization separation.

The device can generate intense CP waves suitable for high energy density experiments.

Advantages over traditional methods in producing relativistic amplitude CP waves.

Abstract

Propagation features of circularly polarized (CP) electromagnetic waves in magnetized plasmas are determined by the plasma density and the magnetic field strength. This property can be applied to design a unique plasma photonic device for intense short-pulse lasers. We have demonstrated by numerical simulations that a thin plasma foil under an external magnetic field works as a polarizing plate to separate a linearly polarized laser into two CP waves traveling in the opposite direction. This plasma photonic device has an advantage for generating intense CP waves even with a relativistic amplitude. For various research purposes, intense CP lights are strongly required to create high energy density plasmas in the laboratory.