Guiding of High Intensity Laser Pulses in Straight and Curved Plasma Channel Experiments

Experimental demonstration of optical guiding of a high intensity $(>{10}^{16}\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2})$ laser pulse in a 1 cm long cylindrical plasma channel formed by a slow capillary discharge is presented. Optical guiding in a curved plasma $(\mathrm{radius}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{curvature}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}10\mathrm{cm})$ is also demonstrated. It is shown experimentally that the guiding mechanism is insensitive to laser intensity over a wide range $(\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{8}--{10}^{16}\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2})$. Results show guiding over $\ensuremath{\simeq}11$ vacuum diffraction lengths in both straight and curved channels, in agreement with theory and simulation.