Acceleration of a solid-density plasma projectile to ultrahigh velocities by a short-pulse ultraviolet laser

Journal Article · Mon Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3628243· OSTI ID:22027711

Badziak, J; Jablonski, S ^[1]

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1. Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Euratom Association, 01-497 Warsaw (Poland)

It is shown by means of particle-in-cell simulations that a high-fluence ({>=}1 GJ/cm{sup 2}) solid-density plasma projectile can be accelerated up to sub-relativistic velocities by radiation pressure of an ultraviolet (UV) picosecond laser pulse of moderate values of dimensionless laser amplitude a{sub 0}{approx}10. The efficiency of acceleration by the UV laser is significantly higher than in the case of long-wavelength ({lambda} {approx} 1 {mu}m) driver of a comparable value of a{sub 0}, and the motion of the projectile is fairly well described by the ''Light Sail'' acceleration model.

• OSTI ID: 22027711
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 99, Issue 7; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION
AMPLITUDES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
EFFICIENCY
LASERS
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA SIMULATION
PROJECTILES
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
PULSES
RADIATION PRESSURE
RELATIVISTIC PLASMA
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
SOLID-STATE PLASMA
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VISIBLE RADIATION