Self-aligning concave relativistic plasma mirror with adjustable focus
Abstract
We report an experimental-computational study of the optical properties of plasma mirrors (PMs) at the incident laser frequency when irradiated directly at relativistic intensity (10180<1019W/cm2) by near-normally incident (4°), high-contrast, 30 fs, 800 nm laser pulses. We find that such relativistic PMs are highly reflective (0.6–0.8) and focus a significant fraction of reflected light to intensity as large as ~10I0 at distance f as small as ~25 μm from the PM, provided that pre-pulses do not exceed 1014 W/cm2 prior to ~20 ps before arrival of the main pulse peak. Particle-in-cell simulations show that focusing results from denting of the reflecting surface by light pressure combined with relativistic transparency and that reflectivity and f can be adjusted by controlling pre-plasma length L over the range 0.5 ≲L ≲ 3 μm. Pump-probe reflectivity measurements show that the PM's focusing properties evolve on a ps time scale.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[2];
[1];
[1]
- Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Physics Dept.
- Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Inst. for Fusion Studies and Center for High Energy Density Science
- Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Physics Dept. and Inst. for Fusion Studies
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR); Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1361715
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1420500; OSTI ID: 1425378
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0012444; SC0011617; FA9550-14-1-0045; SC0007889; SC001062; 2; FC52-08NA28512; NA0002008; FG02-04ER54742; EP/G054940/1; EP/G055165/1; EP/G056803/1; AC05-06OR23100
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- Physics of Plasmas
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Volume: 24 Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; Scattering; Spectroscopy; Time resolved spectroscopy; Ionization; Reflectivity; Optical elements; Ultrafast spectroscopy; Chemical analysis; Time measurement; Optical metrology
Citation Formats
Tsai, Hai-En, Arefiev, Alexey V., Shaw, Joseph M., Stark, David J., Wang, Xiaoming, Zgadzaj, Rafal, and Downer, M. C. Self-aligning concave relativistic plasma mirror with adjustable focus. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1063/1.4973432.
Tsai, Hai-En, Arefiev, Alexey V., Shaw, Joseph M., Stark, David J., Wang, Xiaoming, Zgadzaj, Rafal, & Downer, M. C. Self-aligning concave relativistic plasma mirror with adjustable focus. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4973432
Tsai, Hai-En, Arefiev, Alexey V., Shaw, Joseph M., Stark, David J., Wang, Xiaoming, Zgadzaj, Rafal, and Downer, M. C. Wed .
"Self-aligning concave relativistic plasma mirror with adjustable focus". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4973432.
@article{osti_1361715,
title = {Self-aligning concave relativistic plasma mirror with adjustable focus},
author = {Tsai, Hai-En and Arefiev, Alexey V. and Shaw, Joseph M. and Stark, David J. and Wang, Xiaoming and Zgadzaj, Rafal and Downer, M. C.},
abstractNote = {We report an experimental-computational study of the optical properties of plasma mirrors (PMs) at the incident laser frequency when irradiated directly at relativistic intensity (10180<1019W/cm2) by near-normally incident (4°), high-contrast, 30 fs, 800 nm laser pulses. We find that such relativistic PMs are highly reflective (0.6–0.8) and focus a significant fraction of reflected light to intensity as large as ~10I0 at distance f as small as ~25 μm from the PM, provided that pre-pulses do not exceed 1014 W/cm2 prior to ~20 ps before arrival of the main pulse peak. Particle-in-cell simulations show that focusing results from denting of the reflecting surface by light pressure combined with relativistic transparency and that reflectivity and f can be adjusted by controlling pre-plasma length L over the range 0.5 ≲L ≲ 3 μm. Pump-probe reflectivity measurements show that the PM's focusing properties evolve on a ps time scale.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4973432},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 1,
volume = 24,
place = {United States},
year = {2017},
month = {1}
}
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Works referencing / citing this record:
Optimizing the energies conversion in laser-electron beam collision
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Highly efficient laser-driven Compton gamma-ray source
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