Aspects of the Physics of Laser–Plasma Interactions

A variety of topics in laser-plasma interaction physics is reviewed. The trend from exploding-pusher experiments to ablative compression studies already evident at the time of the Nagoya Conference in 1980 has gathered momentum. The particular emphasis placed at present on the scaling of interaction phenomena with wavelength, in particular stimulated Raman scattering and two-plasmon decay, filamentation and jet formation together with aspects of absorption and transport phenomena is essential for a proper understanding of laser–plasma interactions.