Laser-plasma interactions relevant to fast ignition

The propagation of intense laser pulses in underdense plasma has a wide range of applications, including plasma-based accelerators and Fast-Ignition (FI) inertial confinement fusion. In this presentation, PIC modeling of laser channelling relevant to Fast Ignition has been demonstrated. Results of Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulation using PIC code OSIRlS have been presented. Long (mm scale) and persistent channels in underdense plasma have been observed following the relativistic self-focusing. 2D simulations with both s and p polarizations (electric field vector perpendicular and parallel to the plane of propagation, respectively) and 3D simulations using linearly and circularly polarized laser were performed and these results revels the polarization dependent dynamics of intense laser pulse in underdense plasma. Several phenomena such as laser self-focusing and hosing, channel bifurcation and self correction, transverse and longitudinal density modification of plasma, snow-ploughing etc. have been discussed. An investigation is made for the optimum laser specifications for channeling such as its intensity, pulse duration, temporal profile, spot size etc