Stable dense plasma jets produced at laser power densities around 10{sup 14} W/cm{sup 2}

Journal Article · Thu Jun 15 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2208087· OSTI ID:20787376

Kasperczuk, A; Pisarczyk, T; Borodziuk, S; Ullschmied, J; Krousky, E; Masek, K; Rohlena, K; Skala, J; Hora, H ^[1]

---

1. Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, 23 Hery St., 00-908 Warsaw (Poland)

The results of investigations are presented that are connected with defocused laser beam-planar target interaction. Following the very large focus laser-plasma interaction experiments on the Nova [H. T. Powell, J. A. Caird, J. E. Murray, and C. E. Thompson, 1991 ICF Annual Report UCRL-LR-105820-91, p. 163 (1991)] and GEKKO-XII [C. Yamanaka, Y. Kato, Y. Izawa, K. Yoshida, T. Yamanaka, T. Sasaki, T. Nakatsuka, J. Kuroda, and S. Nakai, IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-17, 1639 (1981)] lasers, as well as on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser [W. J. Hogan, E. I. Moses, B. E. Warner, M. S. Sorem, and J. M. Soures, Nucl. Fusion 41, 567 (2001)] with generation of high Mach number jets, this paper is devoted to similar jet generation with very detailed measurements of density profiles by using high-power lasers at large focus conditions. The experiment was carried out with target materials of different mass densities (Al, Cu, Ag, Ta, and Pb) using the Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS) iodine laser [K. Jungwirth, A. Cejnarova, L. Juha, B. Kralikowa, J. Krasa, E. Krousky, P. Krupickova, L. Laska, K. Masek, A. Prag, O. Renner, K. Rohlena, B. Rus, J. Skala, P. Straka, and J. Ullschmied, Phys. Plasmas 8, 2495 (2001)]. The investigations were conducted for the laser radiation energy of 100 J at two wavelengths of 1.315 and 0.438 {mu}m (the first and third harmonics of laser radiation), pulse duration of 0.4 ns, and a focal spot radius of 300 {mu}m. Most of the experimental data were obtained by means of a three-frame laser interferometer and an x-ray streak camera; the crater parameters were obtained by using the crater replica technique. These investigations have shown that stable dense plasma jets can be produced in a simple configuration of laser beam-planar target interaction, provided that a proper target material is used.

• OSTI ID: 20787376
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 13; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ALUMINIUM
COPPER
ELECTRONS
IODINE LASERS
LASER RADIATION
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
MACH NUMBER
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA JETS
PLASMA PRODUCTION
POWER DENSITY
REPLICA TECHNIQUES
SILVER
STREAK CAMERAS
TANTALUM
US NATIONAL IGNITION FACILITY
X RADIATION