Laser-Hole Boring into Overdense Plasmas Measured with Soft X-Ray Laser Probing

Journal Article · Mon Mar 13 00:00:00 EST 2000 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.2405· OSTI ID:20215773

Takahashi, K ^[1]; Kodama, R ^[1]; Tanaka, K A ^[1]; Hashimoto, H ^[1]; Kato, Y ^[1]; Mima, K ^[1]; Weber, F A ^[2]; Barbee, Jr, T W ^[2]; Da Silva, L B ^[2]

---

1. Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Yamada Oka 2-6, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, (Japan)
2. University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, California 94550 (United States)

A laser self-focused channel formation into overdense plasmas was observed using a soft x-ray laser probe system with a grid image refractometry (GIR) technique. 1.053 {mu}m laser light with a 100 ps pulse duration was focused onto a preformed plasma at an intensity of 2x10{sup 17} W /cm{sup 2} . Cross sections of the channel were obtained which show a 30 {mu}m diameter in overdense plasmas. The channel width in the overdense region was kept narrow as a result of self-focusing. Conically diverging density ridges were also observed along the channel, indicating a Mach cone created by a shock wave due to the supersonic propagation of the channel front. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.

• OSTI ID: 20215773
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 84, Issue 11; Other Information: PBD: 13 Mar 2000; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
LASER RADIATION
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
GEKKO FACILITY
X-RAY SPECTRA
ICF DEVICES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA