Scaling Hot-Electron Generation to High-Power, Kilojoule-Class Laser-Solid Interactions

Journal Article · Wed Jan 05 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Physical Review Letters

OSTI ID:1000977

Thin-foil targets were irradiated with high-power (1 < P_L < 210 TW), 10-ps pulses focused to intensities of I > 10^18 W/cm^2 and studied with K-photon spectroscopy. Comparing the energy emitted in K photons to target-heating calculations shows a laser-energy-coupling efficiency to hot electrons of n_L-e = 20+/-10%. Time-resolved x-ray emission measurements suggest that laser energy is coupled to hot electrons over the entire duration of the incident laser drive. Comparison of the K-photon emission data to previous data at similar laser intensities shows that n_L-e is independent of laser-pulse duration from 1 < tau_p < 10 ps.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FC52-08NA28302
• OSTI ID: 1000977
• Report Number(s): DOE/NA/28302-986; 2010-141; 1967
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 23
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English