Measurement and control of plasma oscillations in femtosecond filaments

The short-lived longitudinal plasma oscillations generated during filamentation in argon and nitrogen gas are measured with a specially designed current monitor. The magnitude and initial direction of the corresponding currents depend sensitively on laser polarization and nature of the gas. The results are interpreted as resulting from the competition between two forces acting on free electrons born during the filamentation process: the Lorentz laser force and a Coulomb wake force resulting from a lateral expansion of the plasma.