The production of high-energy electrons from the interaction of an intense laser pulse with an underdense plasma

The interaction of an intense laser pulse (intensity, greater than 10(19) W cm(-2)) has been studied with underdense deuterium plasmas. The laser pulse is found to be self-modulated at the plasma frequency by the Raman forward-scatter instability. Wave breaking of the resulting plasma wave causes high-energy electrons to be accelerated beyond 100 MeV.