Acceleration of thin foil targets using fiber-coupled optical pulses
Commercially available optical fibers can reliably transmit Nd:Glass laser pulses of high irradiance (>3.5 GW cm/sup /minus/2/) without damage. The optical energy at the fiber output can be used for efficient acceleration of thin foil targets. An optically recording velocity interferometer system (ORVIS) has been used to determine velocity-time histories for aluminum foils accelerated in this manner. Flyer performance has been examined as a function of laser energy and pulse duration. The measured velocities indicate that the efficiency of coupling optical energy into flyer kinetic energy can be as high as 35 percent. For 0.005-mm-thick Al coupled to a 0.4-mm-diameter fiber, foil velocities >3 km s/sup /minus/1/ have been achieved with modest laser energies (<30 mJ). Preliminary results of particle velocity measurements on flyer-impacted witness plates are also given. 15 refs., 6 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5635950
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-89-1056C; CONF-890812-13; ON: DE89016526
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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