Application of novel techniques for interferogram analysis to laser-plasma femtosecond probing

Recently, two novel techniques for the extraction of the phase-shift map (Tomassini et al. Applied Optics 40, 35 (2001)) and the electronic density map estimation (Tomassini P. & Giulietti A. Optics Communication 199, 143–148 (2001)) have been proposed. In this article, we apply both methods to a sample laser–plasma interferogram obtained with femtoseconds probe pulse, in an experimental setup devoted to laser particle acceleration studies.