Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 October 2009
The propagation of intense few-cycle laser beams in plasma media is considered when the quiver velocity of the electron approaches the velocity of light c. The modifications in the spatio-temporal profile of the initial Gaussian beam are found to depend on the combined effect of relativistic plasma frequency and diffraction. The results of the variation of the temporal profile of the envelope at points on the axis as well away from the axis are presented. The results so obtained are compared with those of vacuum propagation. Pulses get broadened and frequency gets chirped as a result of diffraction, phase dispersion and relativistic mass correction. The effect of the plasma on the group velocity dispersion including curvatures of pulse and phase fronts in pulsed Gaussian beam is numerically investigated.