The determination of electron density profiles from refraction measurements obtained using holographic interferometry

Abstract

The angles a fourth-harmonic holographic interferometer probing beam is refracted upon passing through a neodymium laser-produced plasma have been measured by varying the focus during reconstruction of the hologram. A method (not requiring the numerical inversion of an integral equation) for using such refraction measurements to give the plasma electron density profile is shown to produce a profile in agreement with that obtained from the phase information on the reconstructed in-focus interferogram. Show more