Plasma evolution from laser-driven gold disks. I. Experiments and results

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Physics of Fluids B; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.859509· OSTI ID:6478072

Gabl, E F ^[1]; Failor, B H; Busch, G E ^[2]; Schroeder, R J ^[3]; Ress, D; Suter, L ^[4]

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1. Department of Physics, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI (USA) KMS Fusion Inc., Ann Arbor, MI (USA)
2. KMS Fusion Inc., Ann Arbor, MI (USA)
3. Schlumberger-Doll Research, Ridgefield, CT (USA) KMS Fusion Inc., Ann Arbor, MI (USA)
4. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA (USA)

Gold disk targets were irradiated with green ({lambda}=0.53 {mu}m) laser light at intensities between 0.5 and 5{times}10{sup 14} W/cm{sup 2} using shaped laser pulses. Plasma conditions near and below critical density ({ital n}{sub {ital c}}{congruent}4{times}10{sup 21}/cm{sup 3}) were determined from three diagnostics. Streaked one-dimensional images of the {ital M}-band emission (2--3.5 keV) along the laser axis yield the peak emission trajectory. Temporally and spatially averaged measurements of the hard x-ray spectrum (4--25 keV) were used to determine the average coronal electron temperature. Holographic interferometry was used to determine the electron density profiles and scale lengths along the laser axis. The peak emission trajectory, electron temperature, and scale lengths are all in good agreement with simulations, but the magnitudes of the electron density profiles are not, as discussed in an accompanying paper (Phys. Fluids B {bold 2}, 2448 (1990)).

• DOE Contract Number: AC03-87DP10560
• OSTI ID: 6478072
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (USA), Vol. 2:10; ISSN 0899-8221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
CORRELATIONS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
EMISSION SPECTRA
GOLD
HOLOGRAPHY
IMAGES
INTERFEROMETRY
PULSES
STREAK PHOTOGRAPHY
X-RAY SPECTRA
ELEMENTS
METALS
PHOTOGRAPHY
PLASMA
SPECTRA
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
700102* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Diagnostics
700208 - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Inertial Confinement Technology