Dynamics of converging laser-created plasmas in semicylindrical cavities studied using soft x-ray laser interferometry

Journal Article · Mon Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVE.76.046402· OSTI ID:21076253

Purvis, Mike; Grava, Jonathan; Marconi, Mario C ^[1]; Filevich, Jorge; Rocca, Jorge J ^[1]; Dunn, James; Moon, Stephen J ^[2]; Shlyaptsev, Vyacheslav N ^[3]; Jankowska, Elizabeth ^[4]

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1. NSF ERC for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 (United States)
2. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551 (United States)
3. Department of Applied Science, University of California Davis-Livermore, Livermore, California 94551 (United States)
4. Wroclaw University of Technology, Wroclaw (Poland)

The evolution of dense aluminum and carbon plasmas produced by laser irradiation of 500-{mu}m-diam semicylindrical targets was studied using soft x-ray laser interferometry. Plasmas created heating the cavity walls with 120-ps--duration optical laser pulses of {approx}1x10{sup 12} W cm{sup -2} peak intensity were observed to expand and converge on axis to form a localized high-density plasma region. Electron density maps were measured using a 46.9-nm-wavelength tabletop capillary discharge soft x-ray laser probe in combination with an amplitude division interferometer based on diffraction gratings. The measurements show that the plasma density on axis exceeds 1x10{sup 20} cm{sup -3}. The electron density profiles are compared with simulations conducted using the hydrodynamic code HYDRA, which show that the abrupt density increase near the axis is dominantly caused by the convergence of plasma generated at the bottom of the groove during laser irradiation.

• OSTI ID: 21076253
• Journal Information: Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics, Vol. 76, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.76.046402; (c) 2007 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-651X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ALUMINIUM
AMPLITUDES
CAPILLARIES
CARBON
CONVERGENCE
DIFFRACTION GRATINGS
ELECTRON DENSITY
H CODES
INTERFEROMETERS
INTERFEROMETRY
LASER RADIATION
LASERS
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA PRODUCTION
SIMULATION
SOFT X RADIATION