Atmospheric electromagnetic pulse propagation effects from thick targets in a terawatt laser target chamber
- Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States). Department of Astronomy and Department of Earth and Planetary Science; Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Generation and effects of atmospherically propagated electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) initiated by photoelectrons ejected by the high density and temperature target surface plasmas from multiterawatt laser pulses are analyzed. These laser radiation pulse interactions can significantly increase noise levels, thereby obscuring data (sometimes totally) and may even damage sensitive probe and detection instrumentation. Noise effects from high energy density (approximately multiterawatt) laser pulses (~300–400 ps pulse widths) interacting with thick (~1 mm) metallic and dielectric solid targets and dielectric–metallic powder mixtures are interpreted as transient resonance radiation associated with surface charge fluctuations on the target chamber that functions as a radiating antenna. Effective solutions that minimize atmospheric EMP effects on internal and proximate electronic and electro-optical equipment external to the system based on systematic measurements using Moebius loop antennas, interpretations of signal periodicities, and dissipation indicators determining transient noise origin characteristics from target emissions are described. Analytic models for the effect of target chamber resonances and associated noise current and temperature in a probe diode laser are described.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 1426976
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 21013607
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--2007-0913J; 524199
- Journal Information:
- Applied Optics, Journal Name: Applied Optics Journal Issue: 24 Vol. 46; ISSN 0003-6935; ISSN APOPAI
- Publisher:
- Optical Society of America (OSA)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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