Self-aligning concave relativistic plasma mirror with adjustable focus

Tsai, Hai-En; Arefiev, Alexey V.; Shaw, Joseph M.; Stark, David J.; Wang, Xiaoming; Zgadzaj, Rafal; Downer, M. C.

doi:10.1063/1.4973432

Title: Self-aligning concave relativistic plasma mirror with adjustable focus

Journal Article · Wed Jan 04 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4973432· OSTI ID:1361715

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^[1]; Stark, David J. ^[3]; Wang, Xiaoming ^[1]; Zgadzaj, Rafal ^[1];

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Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Physics Dept.
Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Inst. for Fusion Studies and Center for High Energy Density Science
Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Physics Dept. and Inst. for Fusion Studies

We report an experimental-computational study of the optical properties of plasma mirrors (PMs) at the incident laser frequency when irradiated directly at relativistic intensity (10¹⁸₀<10¹⁹W/cm²) by near-normally incident (4°), high-contrast, 30 fs, 800 nm laser pulses. We find that such relativistic PMs are highly reflective (0.6–0.8) and focus a significant fraction of reflected light to intensity as large as ~10I0 at distance f as small as ~25 μm from the PM, provided that pre-pulses do not exceed 10¹⁴ W/cm² prior to ~20 ps before arrival of the main pulse peak. Particle-in-cell simulations show that focusing results from denting of the reflecting surface by light pressure combined with relativistic transparency and that reflectivity and f can be adjusted by controlling pre-plasma length L over the range 0.5 ≲L ≲ 3 μm. Pump-probe reflectivity measurements show that the PM's focusing properties evolve on a ps time scale.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR); Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0012444; SC0011617; FA9550-14-1-0045; SC0007889; SC001062; 2; FC52-08NA28512; NA0002008; FG02-04ER54742; EP/G054940/1; EP/G055165/1; EP/G056803/1; AC05-06OR23100

OSTI ID:: 1361715

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1420500; OSTI ID: 1425378

Journal Information:: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Vol. 24 Journal Issue: 1; ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 9 works

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Title: Self-aligning concave relativistic plasma mirror with adjustable focus

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