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Title: Electromagnetic pulse generation within a petawatt laser target chamber

Abstract

Recent work has been undertaken to characterize the electromagnatic pulse (EMP) generated by the high temperature high density plasma produced by a petawatt laser. This was to evaluate the susceptibility to malfunction and damage of equipment and diagnostics for the new Orion laser. EMP measurement were made using moebius loop antennas fitted inside the target chamber of the Vulcan petawatt laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. These show the EMP as a 63 MHz transient which decays from a peak magnetic field of around 4.3 A/m. A theoretical model presented assumes the EMP is produced by an impulse of 10{sup 12} electron emanating from the target, which charge the chamber wall causing it to ring at natural frequency. The theoretical model provides an estimate of the EMP measured in the Vulcan petawatt target chamber and will be used for the design of the Orion laser.

Authors:
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, Reading, RG7 4PR (United Kingdom)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
20641278
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Review of Scientific Instruments
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 75; Journal Issue: 10; Conference: 15. topical conference on high temperature plasma diagnostics, San Diego, CA (United States), 19-22 Apr 2004; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1787606; (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0034-6748
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ANTENNAS; ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSES; ELECTRON TEMPERATURE; ION TEMPERATURE; IONIZATION CHAMBERS; LASERS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MHZ RANGE 01-100; PETAWATT POWER RANGE; PLASMA DENSITY; PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS; PLASMA PRODUCTION; TARGET CHAMBERS

Citation Formats

Mead, M J, Neely, D, Gauoin, J, Heathcote, R, Patel, P, CLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0QX, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550. Electromagnetic pulse generation within a petawatt laser target chamber. United States: N. p., 2004. Web. doi:10.1063/1.1787606.
Mead, M J, Neely, D, Gauoin, J, Heathcote, R, Patel, P, CLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0QX, & Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550. Electromagnetic pulse generation within a petawatt laser target chamber. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1787606
Mead, M J, Neely, D, Gauoin, J, Heathcote, R, Patel, P, CLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0QX, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550. 2004. "Electromagnetic pulse generation within a petawatt laser target chamber". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1787606.
@article{osti_20641278,
title = {Electromagnetic pulse generation within a petawatt laser target chamber},
author = {Mead, M J and Neely, D and Gauoin, J and Heathcote, R and Patel, P and CLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0QX and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550},
abstractNote = {Recent work has been undertaken to characterize the electromagnatic pulse (EMP) generated by the high temperature high density plasma produced by a petawatt laser. This was to evaluate the susceptibility to malfunction and damage of equipment and diagnostics for the new Orion laser. EMP measurement were made using moebius loop antennas fitted inside the target chamber of the Vulcan petawatt laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. These show the EMP as a 63 MHz transient which decays from a peak magnetic field of around 4.3 A/m. A theoretical model presented assumes the EMP is produced by an impulse of 10{sup 12} electron emanating from the target, which charge the chamber wall causing it to ring at natural frequency. The theoretical model provides an estimate of the EMP measured in the Vulcan petawatt target chamber and will be used for the design of the Orion laser.},
doi = {10.1063/1.1787606},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20641278}, journal = {Review of Scientific Instruments},
issn = {0034-6748},
number = 10,
volume = 75,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2004},
month = {Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2004}
}