Relativistic Laser-Plasma Interactions

Ever since the much acclaimed paper of Akhiezer and Polovin plasma theorists have been attempting to comprehend complex dynamics related to the propagation of high and ultra-high intensity electromagnetic (EM) radiation through a plasma. This topic was successfully revisited a number of years later by Kaw and Dawson whose analysis threw more light on the propagation of coupled longitudinal-transverse waves of arbitrary intensity. The high phase velocity case was soon solved exactly by Max and Perkins, (early review). The problem of relativistic laser-plasma interactions is of particular interest concerning the fast ignition concept, relevant to contemporary laser inertial confinement fusion research. Moreover, the understanding of relativistic laser pulse evolution in a plasma is basic to many new applications, including optical-field-ionized x-ray lasers, plasma-based electron accelerator schemes, as well as, interpretation of some astrophysical phenomena, and references, therein). From a text given in two tutorial lectures, in a limited space, we mainly focus on an important paradigm of stimulated Raman scattering.