We demonstrate the efficient generation of plasma waveguides in elongated cluster gas jets using $100\mathrm{ps}$ axicon-generated Bessel beam pump pulses. The plasma waveguide space and time evolution is measured using picosecond interferometry. Small radius waveguides with central densities as low as $\sim {10}^{18}{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$ can be generated with this technique. Despite the expected subpicosecond cluster disassembly time, we observe long pulse absorption efficiencies that can be more than a factor of 10 greater than in unclustered gas targets of the same volume average atomic density. The maximum long pulse absorption observed in cluster jets under our range of conditions was 35%. The explanation for the enhanced absorption is that in the far-leading edge of the laser pulse, the volume of heated clusters evolves to a locally uniform and cool plasma already near ionization saturation, which is then heated by the remainder of the pulse. From this perspective, the use of clustered gases is equivalent to a supercharged preionization scheme for long duration laser pulses.

• Received 27 May 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.72.036411