The optical guiding of an intense electromagnetic wave is demonstrated with the use of high power microwaves in a preformed plasma density channel. The high power microwaves make a duct into the overdense area by the ponderomotive force in a preformed density channel and are guided along the duct to remain within it. The parametric dependencies are investigated to be compared with the results obtained from numerical calculation, showing fairly good coincidence.

• Received 24 October 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.76.4540