Experimental demonstration of laser imprint reduction using underdense foams

Journal Article · Fri Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4945619· OSTI ID:22599135

Delorme, B.; Casner, A. ^[1]; Olazabal-Loumé, M. ^[2]; Nicolaï, Ph.; Breil, J.; Tikhonchuk, V. T. ^[3]; Michel, D. T.; Seka, W.; Froula, D. H.; Goncharov, V. ^[4]; Riazuelo, G. ^[1]; Borisenko, N.; Orekhov, A. ^[5]; Fujioka, S.; Sunahara, A. ^[6]; Grech, M. ^[7]

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1. CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon (France)
2. CEA, DAM, CESTA, 15 Avenue des Sablières, F-33114 Le Barp (France)
3. CELIA, University of Bordeaux-CNRS-CEA, F-33400 Talence (France)
4. Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States)
5. P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute, RAS, 53 Leninskii Prospect, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation)
6. Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565 (Japan)
7. LULI, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, CEA, UPMC, 91128 Palaiseau (France)

Reducing the detrimental effect of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability on the target performance is a critical challenge. In this purpose, the use of targets coated with low density foams is a promising approach to reduce the laser imprint. This article presents results of ablative RT instability growth measurements, performed on the OMEGA laser facility in direct-drive for plastic foils coated with underdense foams. The laser beam smoothing is explained by the parametric instabilities developing in the foam and reducing the laser imprint on the plastic (CH) foil. The initial perturbation pre-imposed by the means of a specific phase plate was shown to be smoothed using different foam characteristics. Numerical simulations of the laser beam smoothing in the foam and of the RT growth are performed with a suite of paraxial electromagnetic and radiation hydrodynamic codes. They confirmed the foam smoothing effect in the experimental conditions.

• OSTI ID: 22599135
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2016 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BEAMS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DENSITY
DISTURBANCES
FOAMS
FOILS
LASERS
PARAMETRIC INSTABILITIES
PERFORMANCE
PERTURBATION THEORY
PLASTICS
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
REDUCTION