Molecular quantum wakes in the hydrodynamic plasma waveguide in air

We demonstrate a modulated plasma guiding effect from the molecular alignment wakes in the hydrodynamic plasma waveguide. A properly time-delayed laser pulse can be spatially confined by the hydrodynamic expansion induced plasma waveguide of an advancing femtosecond laser pulse. The spatial confinement can be further strengthened or weakened by following the quantum wakes of the impulsively excited rotational wave packets of the molecules in the plasma waveguide.