Electron, Photon, and Ion Beams from the Relativistic Interaction of Petawatt Laser Pulses with Solid Targets
In our Petawatt laser experiments several hundred joules of 1 {micro}m laser light in 0.5-5.0 ps pulses with intensities up to 3 x 10{sup 20}Wcm{sup -2} were incident on solid targets producing a strongly relativistic interaction. The energy content, spectra, and angular patterns of the photon, electron, and ion radiations were diagnosed in a number of ways, including several novel (to laser physics) nuclear activation techniques. From the beamed bremsstrahlung we infer that about 40-50% of the laser energy is converted to broadly beamed hot electrons. Their direction centroid varies from shot to shot, but the beam has a consistent width. Extraordinarily luminous ion beams almost precisely normal to the rear of various targets are seen--up to 3 x 10{sup 13} protons with kT{sub ion} {approx} several MeV representing {approx}6% of the laser energy. We observe ion energies up to at least 55 MeV. The ions appear to originate from the rear target surfaces. The edge of the ion beam is very sharp, and collimation increases with ion energy. At the highest energies, a narrow feature appears in the ion spectra, and the apparent size of the emitting spot is smaller than the full back surface area. Any ion emission from the front of the targets is much less than from the rear and is not sharply beamed. The hot electrons generate a Debye sheath with electrostatic fields of order MV per micron which apparently accelerate the ions.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Defense Programs (DP) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-Eng-48
- OSTI ID:
- 790963
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-135029; TRN: US0300846
- Resource Relation:
- Journal Volume: 7; Journal Issue: 5; Conference: 41st Annual Meeting of the Division of Plasma Physics, Seattle, WA (US), 11/15/1999--11/19/1999; Other Information: PBD: 12 Nov 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Nuclear diagnostics for petawatt experiments (invited)
Studies of the relativistic electron source and related phenomena in Petawatt Laser matter interactions