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Title: Plasma dynamics near critical density inferred from direct measurements of laser hole boring

Abstract

Here, we use multiframe picosecond optical interferometry to make direct measurements of the hole boring velocity, vHB, of the density cavity pushed forward by a train of CO2 laser pulses in a near critical density helium plasma. As the pulse train intensity rises, the increasing radiation pressure of each pulse pushes the density cavity forward and the plasma electrons are strongly heated. After the peak laser intensity, the plasma pressure exerted by the heated electrons strongly impedes the hole boring process and the vHB falls rapidly as the laser pulse intensity falls at the back of the laser pulse train. We present a heuristic theory that allows the estimation of the plasma electron temperature from the measurements of the hole boring velocity. Furthermore, the measured values of vHB, and the estimated values of the heated electron temperature as a function of laser intensity are in reasonable agreement with those obtained from two-dimensional numerical simulations.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [1]
  1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States). Electrical Engineering Dept.
  2. SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1389949
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1259336; OSTI ID: 1364530
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-737704
Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0045; PLEEE8
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-07NA27344; NA0002950; SC0010064
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review E
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 93; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0045
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION; 42 ENGINEERING; 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats

Gong, Chao, Tochitsky, Sergei Ya., Fiuza, Frederico, Pigeon, Jeremy J., and Joshi, Chan. Plasma dynamics near critical density inferred from direct measurements of laser hole boring. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.93.061202.
Gong, Chao, Tochitsky, Sergei Ya., Fiuza, Frederico, Pigeon, Jeremy J., & Joshi, Chan. Plasma dynamics near critical density inferred from direct measurements of laser hole boring. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.93.061202
Gong, Chao, Tochitsky, Sergei Ya., Fiuza, Frederico, Pigeon, Jeremy J., and Joshi, Chan. Sat . "Plasma dynamics near critical density inferred from direct measurements of laser hole boring". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.93.061202. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1389949.
@article{osti_1389949,
title = {Plasma dynamics near critical density inferred from direct measurements of laser hole boring},
author = {Gong, Chao and Tochitsky, Sergei Ya. and Fiuza, Frederico and Pigeon, Jeremy J. and Joshi, Chan},
abstractNote = {Here, we use multiframe picosecond optical interferometry to make direct measurements of the hole boring velocity, vHB, of the density cavity pushed forward by a train of CO2 laser pulses in a near critical density helium plasma. As the pulse train intensity rises, the increasing radiation pressure of each pulse pushes the density cavity forward and the plasma electrons are strongly heated. After the peak laser intensity, the plasma pressure exerted by the heated electrons strongly impedes the hole boring process and the vHB falls rapidly as the laser pulse intensity falls at the back of the laser pulse train. We present a heuristic theory that allows the estimation of the plasma electron temperature from the measurements of the hole boring velocity. Furthermore, the measured values of vHB, and the estimated values of the heated electron temperature as a function of laser intensity are in reasonable agreement with those obtained from two-dimensional numerical simulations.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevE.93.061202},
journal = {Physical Review E},
number = 6,
volume = 93,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jun 24 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Sat Jun 24 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}

Journal Article:

Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 5 works
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Figures / Tables:

FIG 1 FIG 1: Schematic experimental set-up for four-frame picosecond interferometry. GT is Glan-Thompson polarization cube. DL is an optical delay line. BS is a beam splitter. A temporal profile of a CO2 laser pulse train and the four green pulses recorded by a streak camera are shown in a box. Alsomore » in the box there is a schematic diagram of temporal profile of an envelope of a CO2 laser macropulse containing a train of micropulses.« less

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Works referencing / citing this record:

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