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A method is proposed for eliminating prepulses associated with high-power ultrashort laser pulses. In this method the high-power portion of the pulse is refractively guided due to relativistic effects associated with the plasma electrons. The low-power prepulse, however, is unaffected and diffracts away. Optical guiding is achieved by appropriately choosing the plasma density, laser power, and wavelength. In addition, a wavebreaking stabilization mechanism for the Raman backscattering instability for intense laser pulses is proposed, which indicates that the pulse should not be significantly backscattered by the plasma.
Sprangle et al. (1991) studied this question.