Isochoric heating in heterogeneous solid targets with ultrashort laser pulses

Journal Article · Sat Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 2007 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2816439· OSTI ID:21072698

Sentoku, Y; Kemp, A J; Presura, R; Bakeman, M S; Cowan, T E ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557 (United States)

We study ultrafast heating of thin plastic foils by intense laser irradiation theoretically using collisional two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. We find that the laser-generated hot electrons are confined laterally by self-generated resistive magnetic fields, heating the laser focal area beyond keV electron temperatures isochorically in a few picoseconds. Using this confinement one can excite shock waves that compress the plasma beyond solid density and achieve keV thermal plasmas before the plasma disassembles. Such shocks can be launched at material interfaces inside the target where jumps in the average ionization state and thus electron density lead to gigabar pressure. They propagate stably over picoseconds accompanied by multi-megagauss magnetic fields, and thus have a potential for various applications in high energy density physics.

• OSTI ID: 21072698
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 14; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTRONS
ENERGY DENSITY
FOILS
ION TEMPERATURE
KEV RANGE
LASER RADIATION
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
LASERS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA PRODUCTION
PLASMA SIMULATION
PLASTICS
PULSES
SHOCK WAVES
SOLIDS