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Title: Enhanced laser absorption from radiation pressure in intense laser plasma interactions

Abstract

The reflectivity of a short-pulse laser at intensities of 2 x 1021Wcm-2 with ultra-high contrast (10-15) on sub-micrometer silicon nitride foilswas studied experimentally using varying polarizations and target thicknesses. Furthermore, the reflected intensity and beam quality were found to be relatively constant with respect to intensity for bulk targets. For submicron targets, the measured reflectivity drops substantially without a corresponding increase in transmission, indicating increased conversion of fundamental to other wavelengths and particle heating. The experimental results and trends we observed in 3D particle-in-cell simulations emphasize the critical role of ion motion due to radiation pressure on the absorption process. Ion motion during ultra-short pulses enhances the electron heating, which subsequently transfers more energy to the ions.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [2]
  1. Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
  2. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences
  3. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences; Lancaster Univ. (United Kingdom). Dept. of Physics
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1374977
Grant/Contract Number:  
NA0002372; FA9550-12-1-0310; FA9550-14-1-0282; CHE-0840513
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
New Journal of Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 19; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 1367-2630
Publisher:
IOP Publishing
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS

Citation Formats

Dollar, F., Zulick, C., Raymond, A., Chvykov, V., Willingale, L., Yanovsky, V., Maksimchuk, A., Thomas, A. G. R., and Krushelnick, K. Enhanced laser absorption from radiation pressure in intense laser plasma interactions. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1088/1367-2630/aa6fe2.
Dollar, F., Zulick, C., Raymond, A., Chvykov, V., Willingale, L., Yanovsky, V., Maksimchuk, A., Thomas, A. G. R., & Krushelnick, K. Enhanced laser absorption from radiation pressure in intense laser plasma interactions. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aa6fe2
Dollar, F., Zulick, C., Raymond, A., Chvykov, V., Willingale, L., Yanovsky, V., Maksimchuk, A., Thomas, A. G. R., and Krushelnick, K. 2017. "Enhanced laser absorption from radiation pressure in intense laser plasma interactions". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aa6fe2. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1374977.
@article{osti_1374977,
title = {Enhanced laser absorption from radiation pressure in intense laser plasma interactions},
author = {Dollar, F. and Zulick, C. and Raymond, A. and Chvykov, V. and Willingale, L. and Yanovsky, V. and Maksimchuk, A. and Thomas, A. G. R. and Krushelnick, K.},
abstractNote = {The reflectivity of a short-pulse laser at intensities of 2 x 1021Wcm-2 with ultra-high contrast (10-15) on sub-micrometer silicon nitride foilswas studied experimentally using varying polarizations and target thicknesses. Furthermore, the reflected intensity and beam quality were found to be relatively constant with respect to intensity for bulk targets. For submicron targets, the measured reflectivity drops substantially without a corresponding increase in transmission, indicating increased conversion of fundamental to other wavelengths and particle heating. The experimental results and trends we observed in 3D particle-in-cell simulations emphasize the critical role of ion motion due to radiation pressure on the absorption process. Ion motion during ultra-short pulses enhances the electron heating, which subsequently transfers more energy to the ions.},
doi = {10.1088/1367-2630/aa6fe2},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1374977}, journal = {New Journal of Physics},
issn = {1367-2630},
number = 6,
volume = 19,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 06 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Tue Jun 06 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}

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Cited by: 6 works
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Works referencing / citing this record: