High energy electrons, positrons and photonuclear reactions in petawatt laser-solid experiments
The Petawatt laser at LLNL has opened a new regime of high-energy laser-matter interactions in which the quiver motion of plasma electrons is fully relativistic with energies extending well above the threshold for nuclear processes. We have observed that, in addition to the large flux of several MeV electrons ponderomotively expelled from the ultra-intense laser focus, there is a high energy component of electrons extending to -100 MeV, apparently from relativistic self-focusing and plasma acceleration in the underdense pre-formed plasma. The generation of hard bremsstrahlung cascade as these electrons traverse the solid target material, and the resulting photo-nuclear reactions, nuclear fission, and positron-electron pair production are described.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 15004763
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-137797; TRN: US200321%%50
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Joint Institute for Fusion Theory, Livermore, CA (US), 11/23/1998--11/24/1998; Other Information: PBD: 9 Sep 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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High energy electrons and nuclear phenomena in petawatt laser-solid experiments
High energy electrons and nuclear phenomena in petawatt laser-solid experiments