Density Cavitons and X-Ray Filamentation in CO2-Laser-Produced Plasmas

Measurements of electron density and x-ray emission have been made on a C VII plasma, generated by a 9×${10}^{12}$-W-${\mathrm{cm}}^{-2\mathrm{}}$ C${\mathrm{O}}_2$ laser beam. A density cavity and x-ray filamentation are observed. The relevance of these results to theories of resonance absorption, soliton formation, self-modulation, and filamentation of laser light is noted.