Development of a Nomarski-type multi-frame interferometer as a time and space resolving diagnostics for the free electron density of laser-generated plasma

Journal Article · Sun Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3701366· OSTI ID:22072280

Boerner, M; Frank, A; Pelka, A; Schaumann, G; Schoekel, A; Schumacher, D; Roth, M ^[1]; Fils, J; Blazevic, A; Hessling, T ^[2]; Basko, M M ^[3]; Maruhn, J; Tauschwitz, An ^[4]

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1. Institut fuer Kernphysik, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, Schlossgartenstrasse 9, 64289 Darmstadt (Germany)
2. Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GSI, Planckstr. 1, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany)
3. ITEP, Moscow (Russian Federation)
4. ITP, University of Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

This article reports on the development and set-up of a Nomarski-type multi-frame interferometer as a time and space resolving diagnostics of the free electron density in laser-generated plasma. The interferometer allows the recording of a series of 4 images within 6 ns of a single laser-plasma interaction. For the setup presented here, the minimal accessible free electron density is 5 x 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3}, the maximal one is 2 x 10{sup 20} cm{sup -3}. Furthermore, it provides a resolution of the electron density in space of 50 {mu}m and in time of 0.5 ns for one image with a customizable magnification in space for each of the 4 images. The electron density was evaluated from the interferograms using an Abel inversion algorithm. The functionality of the system was proven during first experiments and the experimental results are presented and discussed. A ray tracing procedure was realized to verify the interferometry pictures taken. In particular, the experimental results are compared to simulations and show excellent agreement, providing a conclusive picture of the evolution of the electron density distribution.

• OSTI ID: 22072280
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 83, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ALGORITHMS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ENERGY RESOLUTION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
IMAGES
INTERFEROMETERS
INTERFEROMETRY
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
SPATIAL RESOLUTION