Self-modulation and anomalous collective scattering of laser produced intense ion beam in plasmas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Mima

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The collective interaction between intense ion beams and plasmas is studied by simulations and experiments, where an intense proton beam produced by a short pulse laser is injected into a pre-ionized gas. It is found that, depending on its current density, collective effects can significantly alter the propagated ion beam and the stopping power. The quantitative agreement that is found between theories and experiments constitutes the first validation of the collective interaction theory. The effects in the interaction between intense ion beams and background gas plasmas are of importance for the design of laser fusion reactors as well as for beam physics. Keywords: Two stream instabilities, Ultra intense short pulse laser, Proton beam, Wake field, Electron plasma wave, Laser plasma interaction, PACS codes: 52.38.Kd, 29.27.Fh, 52.40.Kh, 52.70.Nc

Relativistic effects in ultra-high-intensity laser-plasma interaction: electron parametric instabilities and ponderomotive force

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quesnel, Brice

1998-01-01

This research thesis reports a theoretical and numeric study of the behaviour of two non linear phenomena of the laser-plasma interaction physics in a relativistic regime: the electronic parametric instabilities, and the ponderomotive force. In a first part, the author establishes the three-dimensional scattering relationship of electron parametric instabilities for a circularly polarised wave propagating in a homogeneous and cold plasma, without limitations of wave intensity, nor of plasma density. Results are verified by comparison with those of two-dimensional numerical simulations. The Weibel instability is also briefly studied in relativistic regime. In the second part, the author establishes an expression of the ponderomotive force exerted by an ultra-intense laser pulse in the vacuum about the focus point. A numerical code of integration of equations of motion of an electron in the laser field is used for the different expressions corresponding different approximation degrees. Results are used to interpret a recent experiment, and to critic other theoretical works [fr

Laser-plasma interaction with an adaptive optics wavefront-corrected laser beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, K.

2008-12-01

The propagation of an intense laser beam trough a preformed plasma is of particular interest in order to achieve laser inertial confinement fusion. Experiments carried out with a near-diffraction limited laser beam, producing a single hot spot interacting with the plasma, delivered new results, presented in this Ph.D. dissertation. In particular the first experimental observation of the filament instability confirms the numerous theoretical and numerical studies on the subject. Beam spreading and filament-ion thresholds are studied thanks to near-field and far-field images, with respect to laser intensity, time and space, and plasma transverse velocity. Same diagnostics have been applied to the stimulated Brillouin scattered light, enabling the first observation of the transverse Brillouin activity in the plasma. (author)

Laser-plasma interactions for fast ignition

Science.gov (United States)

Kemp, A. J.; Fiuza, F.; Debayle, A.; Johzaki, T.; Mori, W. B.; Patel, P. K.; Sentoku, Y.; Silva, L. O.

2014-05-01

In the electron-driven fast-ignition (FI) approach to inertial confinement fusion, petawatt laser pulses are required to generate MeV electrons that deposit several tens of kilojoules in the compressed core of an imploded DT shell. We review recent progress in the understanding of intense laser-plasma interactions (LPI) relevant to FI. Increases in computational and modelling capabilities, as well as algorithmic developments have led to enhancement in our ability to perform multi-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of LPI at relevant scales. We discuss the physics of the interaction in terms of laser absorption fraction, the laser-generated electron spectra, divergence, and their temporal evolution. Scaling with irradiation conditions such as laser intensity are considered, as well as the dependence on plasma parameters. Different numerical modelling approaches and configurations are addressed, providing an overview of the modelling capabilities and limitations. In addition, we discuss the comparison of simulation results with experimental observables. In particular, we address the question of surrogacy of today's experiments for the full-scale FI problem.

Electrons trajectories around a bubble regime in intense laser plasma interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Ding; Xie, Bai-Song; Ali Bake, Muhammad; Sang, Hai-Bo; Zhao, Xue-Yan; Wu, Hai-Cheng

2013-01-01

Some typical electrons trajectories around a bubble regime in intense laser plasma interaction are investigated theoretically. By considering a modification of the fields and ellipsoid bubble shape due to the presence of residual electrons in the bubble regime, we study in detail the electrons nonlinear dynamics with or without laser pulse. To examine the electron dynamical behaviors, a set of typical electrons, which locate initially at the front of the bubble, on the transverse edge and at the bottom of the bubble respectively, are chosen for study. It is found that the range of trapped electrons in the case with laser pulse is a little narrower than that without laser pulse. The partial phase portraits for electrons around the bubble are presented numerically and their characteristic behaviors are discussed theoretically. Implication of our results on the high quality electron beam generation is also discussed briefly

Simulation of laser interaction with ablative plasma and hydrodynamic behavior of laser supported plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tong Huifeng; Yuan Hong [Institute of Fluid Physics, Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, P.O. Box 919-101, Mianyang, Sichuan 621900 (China); Tang Zhiping [CAS Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China)

2013-01-28

When an intense laser beam irradiates on a solid target, ambient air ionizes and becomes plasma, while part of the target rises in temperature, melts, vaporizes, ionizes, and yet becomes plasma. A general Godunov finite difference scheme WENO (Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory Scheme) with fifth-order accuracy is used to simulate 2-dimensional axis symmetrical laser-supported plasma flow field in the process of laser ablation. The model of the calculation of ionization degree of plasma and the interaction between laser beam and plasma are considered in the simulation. The numerical simulations obtain the profiles of temperature, density, and velocity at different times which show the evolvement of the ablative plasma. The simulated results show that the laser energy is strongly absorbed by plasma on target surface and that the velocity of laser supported detonation (LSD) wave is half of the ideal LSD value derived from Chapman-Jouguet detonation theory.

Interaction of intense femtosecond laser pulses with high-Z solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhidkov, A.; Sasaki, Akira; Utsumi, Takayuki; Fukumoto, Ichirou; Tajima, Toshiki; Yoshida, Masatake; Kondo, Kenichi

2000-01-01

A plasma irradiated by an intense very short pulse laser can be an ultimate high brightness source of incoherent inner-shell X-ray emission of 1-30 keV. The recently developed 100 TW, 20 fs laser facility in JAERI can make considerable enhancement here. To show this a hybrid model combining hydrodynamics and collisional particle-in-cell simulations is applied. Effect of laser prepulse on the interaction of an intense s-polarized femtosecond, ∼20/40 fs, laser pulse with high-Z solid targets is studied. A new absorption mechanism originating from the interaction of the laser pulse with plasma waves excited by the relativistic component of the Lorentz force is found to increase the absorption rate over 30% even for a very short laser pulse. The obtained hot electron temperature exceeds 0.5-1 MeV at optimal conditions for absorption. Results of the simulation for lower laser pulse intensities are in good agreement with the experimental measurements of the hot electron energy distribution. (author)

Laser-plasma interactions in magnetized environment

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Yuan; Qin, Hong; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2018-05-01

Propagation and scattering of lasers present new phenomena and applications when the plasma medium becomes strongly magnetized. With mega-Gauss magnetic fields, scattering of optical lasers already becomes manifestly anisotropic. Special angles exist where coherent laser scattering is either enhanced or suppressed, as we demonstrate using a cold-fluid model. Consequently, by aiming laser beams at special angles, one may be able to optimize laser-plasma coupling in magnetized implosion experiments. In addition, magnetized scattering can be exploited to improve the performance of plasma-based laser pulse amplifiers. Using the magnetic field as an extra control variable, it is possible to produce optical pulses of higher intensity, as well as compress UV and soft x-ray pulses beyond the reach of other methods. In even stronger giga-Gauss magnetic fields, laser-plasma interaction enters a relativistic-quantum regime. Using quantum electrodynamics, we compute a modified wave dispersion relation, which enables correct interpretation of Faraday rotation measurements of strong magnetic fields.

Fast-electron-relaxation measurement for laser-solid interaction at relativistic laser intensities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, H.; Shepherd, R.; Chung, H. K.; Kemp, A.; Hansen, S. B.; Wilks, S. C.; Ping, Y.; Widmann, K.; Fournier, K. B.; Beiersdorfer, P.; Dyer, G.; Faenov, A.; Pikuz, T.

2007-01-01

We present measurements of the fast-electron-relaxation time in short-pulse (0.5 ps) laser-solid interactions for laser intensities of 10 17 , 10 18 , and 10 19 W/cm 2 , using a picosecond time-resolved x-ray spectrometer and a time-integrated electron spectrometer. We find that the laser coupling to hot electrons increases as the laser intensity becomes relativistic, and that the thermalization of fast electrons occurs over time scales on the order of 10 ps at all laser intensities. The experimental data are analyzed using a combination of models that include Kα generation, collisional coupling, and plasma expansion

Interaction of High Intensity Electromagnetic Waves with Plasmas: Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shvets, G.

2008-01-01

The focus of our work during the duration of this grant was on the following areas: (a) the fundamental plasma physics of intense laser-plasma interactions, including the nonlinear excitation of plasma waves for accelerator applications, as well as the recently discovered by us phenomenon of the relativistic bi-stability of relativistic plasma waves driven by a laser beatwave; (b) interaction of high power microwave beams with magnetized plasma, including some of the recently discovered by us phenomena such as the Undulator Induced Transparency (UIT) as well as the new approaches to dynamic manipulation of microwave pulses; (c) investigations of the multi-color laser pulse interactions in the plasma, including the recently discovered by us phenomenon of Electromagnetic Cascading (EC) and the effect of the EC of three-dimensional dynamics of laser pulses (enhanced/suppressed selffocusing etc.); (d) interaction of high-current electron beams with the ambient plasma in the context of Fast Ignitor (FI) physics, with the emphasis on the nonlinear dynamics of the Weibel instability and beam filamentation.

Experimental investigation of the interaction of an intense laser beam with a long and hot plasma in the context of shock ignition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goyon, Clement

2014-01-01

Shock ignition is an alternative direct-drive scheme for inertial fusion that consists in two steps. The first one is a several nanoseconds long compression with low intensity beams. The second one is a several hundred of picoseconds stage using high intensity beams to create a converging shock leading to ignition. During the second phase, the laser beam goes through a long and hot under-critical plasma. However, the coupling of this intense pulse with the coronal plasma has not been much studied experimentally or numerically. Then, the energy absorbed as well as the role of parametric instabilities regarding reflected or transmitted intensity cannot be predicted. In this PhD dissertation, we describe an experimental study of an intense laser pulse between 2.10 15 W/cm 2 and 2.10 16 W/cm 2 interacting with millimetric plasma heated close to one keV. We begin with a theoretical description of the interaction conditions in the coronal plasma. Brillouin scattering is in strongly coupled regime, Raman instability is kinetic regime and laser intensity is above ponderomotive filamentation threshold. We recreate these interaction conditions experimentally by means of pre-heated targets which are foams or thin plastic foils. Then, we present the first measurements of time resolved backscattered spectra from the smoothed picosecond beam as well as transmitted intensity distribution through the plasma. We find that Brillouin instability can be responsible for up to 60% reflectivity in plasmas with electronic density close to critical while Raman reflectivity stays at low levels. Transmitted intensity distribution is smoothed by the propagation and its diameter increases compared to the laser focal spot in vacuum. Finally, we discuss interaction measurements in nanosecond regime to highlight the fact that parametric instabilities reduction is essential for shock ignition to be a successful scheme. (author) [fr

Pondermotive absorption of a short intense laser pulse in a non-uniform plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andreev, A A; Platonov, K Yu [Inst. for Laser Physics, SC ` Vavilov State Optical Inst.` 12, Birzhevaya line, St Petersburg (Russian Federation); Tanaka, K A

1998-03-01

An analytical description of the pondermotive absorption mechanism at a short high intense laser pulse interaction with a strong inhomogeneous plasma is presented. The optimal conditions for the maximum of resonance absorption of laser pulse interaction with non-uniform plasma at normal incidence are founded. (author)

International Conference on the Interaction of atoms, molecules and plasmas with intense ultrashort laser pulses. Book of abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

International Conference on the Interaction of atoms, molecules and plasmas with intense ultrashort laser pulses was held in Hungary in 2006. This conference which joined the ULTRA COST activity ('Laser-matter interactions with ultra-short pulses, high-frequency pulses and ultra-intense pulses. From attophysics to petawatt physics') and the XTRA ('Ultrashort XUV Pulses for Time-Resolved and Non-Linear Applications') Marie-Curie Research Training Network, intends to offer a possibility to the members of both of these activities to exchange ideas on recent theoretical and experimental results on the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with matter giving a broad view from theoretical models to practical and technical applications. Ultrashort laser pulses reaching extra high intensities open new windows to obtain information about molecular and atomic processes. These pulses are even able to penetrate into atomic scalelengths not only by generating particles of ultrahigh energy but also inside the spatial and temporal atomic scalelengths. New regimes of laser-matter interaction were opened in the last decade with an increasing number of laboratories and researchers in these fields. (S.I.)

Plasmas and intense laser light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, E.T.

1984-01-01

The present article begins with a description of the laser technology required to reach the high irradiances of interest and provides a brief outline of the more important diagnostic techniques used in investigating the plasmas. An introduction to plasma waves is given and the linear and nonlinear excitation of waves is discussed. The remainder of the article describes some of the experimental evidence supporting the interpretation of the plasma behaviour at high laser-light intensities in terms of the excitation of plasma waves and the subsequent heating of plasma by these waves. (author)

Quasilinear theory of laser-plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neil, A.J.

1992-01-01

The interaction of a high intensity laser beam with a plasma is generally susceptible to the filamentation instability due to nonuniformities in the laser profile. In ponderomotive filamentation high intensity spots in the beam expell plasma by pondermotive force, lowering the local density, causing even more light to be focused into the already high intensity region. The result-the beam is broken up into a filamentary structure. Several optical smoothing techniques have been proposed to eliminate this problem. In the Random Phase Plates (RPS) approach, the beam is split into a very fine scale, time-stationary interference pattern. The irregularities in this pattern are small enough that thermal diffusion is then responsible for smoothing the illumination. In the Induced Spatial Incoherence (ISI) approach the beam is broken up into a larger scale but non-time-stationary interference pattern. In this dissertation the author proposes that the photons in an ISI beam resonantly interact with the sound waves in the wake of the beam. Such a resonant interaction induces diffusion in the velocity space of the photons. The diffusion will tend to spread the distribution of photons, thus if the diffusion time is much shorter than the e-folding time of the filamentation instability, the instability will be suppressed. Using a wave-kinetic description of laser-plasma interactions the author has applied quasilinear theory to model the resonant interactions of the photons in an ISI beam with the beam's wake field. An analytic expression is derived for the transverse diffusion coefficient. The quasilinear hypothesis was tested numerically and shown to yield an underestimate of the diffusion rate. By comparing the quasilinear diffusion rate with the maximum growth rate for the ponderomotive filamentation of a uniform beam, the author derived a worst case criterion for stability against ponderomotive filamentation

Self-generated magnetic fields and energy transport by ultra-intense laser-plasma interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abudurexiti, A.; Tuniyazi, P.; Wang Qian

2011-01-01

The electromagnetic instability (Weibel instability) and its mechanism in ultra-intense laser-plasma interactions are studied by using three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The transport of energy in electron thermal conduction is analyzed by the Spitzer-Harm theory, and the election's vertical pyrogenation phenomenon that resulted from anisotropic heating of laser is observed. The results indicate that the strong magnetic field excited by Weibel instability makes the electron beam deposit its energy within a very short distance, and it restrains the electron thermal flux formed when the laser ponderomotive force bursts through the electron. With the increase of the self-generated magnetic field, the electron will be seized by the wave of magnetic field, and the transport of heat will be restricted. (authors)

Prediction of hot electron production by ultraintense KrF laser-plasma interactions on solid-density targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Susumu; Takahashi, Eiichi; Miura, Eisuke; Owadano, Yoshiro; Nakamura, Tatsufumi; Kato, Tomokazu

2002-01-01

The scaling of hot electron temperature and the spectrum of electron energy by intense laser plasma interactions are reexamined from a viewpoint of the difference in laser wavelength. Laser plasma interaction such as parametric instabilities is usually determined by the Iλ2 scaling, where I and λ is the laser intensity and wavelength, respectively. However, the hot electron temperature is proportional to (ncr/ne0)1/2 [(1 + a 0 2 ) 1/2 - 1] rather than [(1 + a 0 2 ) 1/2 - 1] at the interaction with overdense plasmas, where ne0 is a electron density of overdense plasmas and a0 is a normalized laser intensity

Laser-plasma interactions and applications

CERN Document Server

Neely, David; Bingham, Robert; Jaroszynski, Dino

2013-01-01

Laser-Plasma Interactions and Applications covers the fundamental and applied aspects of high power laser-plasma physics. With an internationally renowned team of authors, the book broadens the knowledge of young researchers working in high power laser-plasma science by providing them with a thorough pedagogical grounding in the interaction of laser radiation with matter, laser-plasma accelerators, and inertial confinement fusion. The text is organised such that the theoretical foundations of the subject are discussed first, in Part I. In Part II, topics in the area of high energy density physics are covered. Parts III and IV deal with the applications to inertial confinement fusion and as a driver of particle and radiation sources, respectively. Finally, Part V describes the principle diagnostic, targetry, and computational approaches used in the field. This book is designed to give students a thorough foundation in the fundamental physics of laser-plasma interactions. It will also provide readers with knowl...

Generation of shock fronts in the interaction of short pulses of intense laser light in supercritical plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez V, V.E.; Ondarza R, R.

2004-01-01

The investigation of the laser interaction with plasma has been carried out mainly in laboratories of Europe, Japan and United States during the last decades. This studies concern the propagation of intense light laser in a non homogeneous plasma, the radiation absorption and the generation of suprathermal electrons, among others. Numerical simulations made by Denavit, for radiation pulses for up of 10 20 W/cm 2 on solid targets, have allowed to observe the generation of ionic crash fronts with high propagation speeds. In this work it is expanded the study of this effect through algorithms of particles simulation. (Author)

Analytical calculations of intense Gaussian laser beam propagating in plasmas with relativistic collision correction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Ying; Yuan Chengxun; Gao Ruilin; Zhou Zhongxiang

2012-01-01

Theoretical investigations of a Gaussian laser beam propagating in relativistic plasmas have been performed with the WKB method and complex eikonal function. We consider the relativistic nonlinearity induced by intense laser beam, and present the relativistically generalized forms of the plasma frequency and electron collision frequency in plasmas. The coupled differential equations describing the propagation variations of laser beam are derived and numerically solved. The obtained simulation results present the similar variation tendency with experiments. By changing the plasma density, we theoretically analyze the feasibility of using a plasmas slab of a fixed thickness to compress the laser beam-width and acquire the focused laser intensity. The present work complements the relativistic correction of the electron collision frequency with reasonable derivations, promotes the theoretical approaching to experiments and provides effective instructions to the practical laser-plasma interactions.

Surfaces in the interaction of intense long wavelength laser light with plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, R.D.

1985-01-01

The role of surface in the interaction of intense CO 2 laser light with plasmas is reviewed. The collisionless absorption of long wavelength light is discussed. Specific comments on the role of ponderomotive forces and profile steepening on resonant absorption are made. It is shown that at intensities above 10 15 W/cm 2 the absorption is determined by ion acoustic-like surface modes. It is demonstrated experimentally that harmonics up to the forty-sixth can be generated in steep density profiles. Computer simulations and theoretical mechanisms for this phenomena are presented. The self generation of magnetic fields on surfaces is discussed. The role these fields play in the lateral transport of energy, the insulation of the target from hot electrons, and the acceleration of fast ions is discussed

Nuclear diagnostics of high intensity laser plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krushelnick, K.; Santala, M.I.K.; Beg, F.N.; Clark, E.L.; Dangor, A.E.; Tatarakis, M.; Watts, I.; Wei, M.S.; Zepf, M.; Ledingham, K.W.D.; McCanny, T.; Spencer, I.; Clarke, R.J.; Norreys, P.A.

2002-01-01

Nuclear activation has been observed in materials exposed to energetic protons and heavy ions generated from high intensity laser-solid interactions (at focused intensities up to 5x10 19 W/cm 2 ). The energy spectrum of the protons is determined through the use of these nuclear activation techniques and is found to be consistent with other ion diagnostics. Heavy ion fusion reactions and large neutron fluxes from the (p, n) reactions were also observed. The reduction of proton emission and increase in heavy ion energy using heated targets was also observed

Producing High Intense Attosecond Pulse Train by Interaction of Three-Color Pulse and Overdense Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Salehi, M.; Mirzanejad, S.

2017-05-01

Amplifying the attosecond pulse by the chirp pulse amplification method is impossible. Furthermore, the intensity of attosecond pulse is low in the interaction of laser pulse and underdense plasma. This motivates us to propose using a multi-color pulse to produce the high intense attosecond pulse. In the present study, the relativistic interaction of a three-color linearly-polarized laser-pulse with highly overdense plasma is studied. We show that the combination of {{ω }}1, {{ω }}2 and {{ω }}3 frequencies decreases the instance full width at half maximum reflected attosecond pulse train from the overdense plasma surface. Moreover, we show that the three-color pulse increases the intensity of generated harmonics, which is explained by the relativistic oscillating mirror model. The obtained results demonstrate that if the three-color laser pulse interacts with overdense plasma, it will enhance two orders of magnitude of intensity of ultra short attosecond pulses in comparison with monochromatic pulse.

Advanced diagnostics for laser plasma interaction studies and some recent experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaurasia, S.; Munda, D.S.; Dhareshwar, L.J.

2008-10-01

The complete characterization of Laser plasma interaction studies related to inertial confinement fusion laser and Equation of state (EOS) studies needs many diagnostics to explain the several physical phenomena occurring simultaneously in the laser produced plasma. This involves many on ion emission are important to understand physical phenomena which are responsible for generation of laser plasma as well as its interaction with an intense laser. In this report we describe the development of various x-ray diagnostics which are used in determining temporal, spatial and spectral properties of x-rays radiated from laser produced plasma. Diagnostics which have been used in experiments for investigation of laser-produced plasma as a source of ions are also described. Techniques using an optical streak camera and VISAR which are being used in the Equation of States (EOS) studies of various materials, which are important for material science, astrophysics as well as ICF is described in details. (author)

Dynamics of intense laser channel formation in an underdense plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, J.; Petrov, G.M.; Velikovich, A.L.

2005-01-01

Efficient guiding and propagation of multi-keV x-rays in plasmas can be achieved by dynamically modifying the media through plasma channel formation. The dynamics of plasma channel formation is studied in preformed underdense plasma irradiated by a high intensity laser. This is done by a two-dimensional model coupling laser propagation to a relativistic particle-in-cell model. For laser intensity of 10 20 W/cm 2 and a laser beam width of 5 μm the channel formation proceeds on a time scale of 60-70 fs in uniform plasma with density 10 18 cm -3 . The channel closes shortly after the rear of the laser pulse has passed due to Coulomb attraction from the ion core. Electron cavitation occurs only if the laser intensity is above a certain threshold intensity and the laser pulse duration exceeds 100 fs. X-ray generation and propagation is feasible for ultrarelativistic laser pulses with small beam width, less than ∼20 μm, and duration of more than 100 fs

Plasma effects in attosecond pulse generation from ultra-relativistic laser-plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyd, T.J.M.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Particle-in-cell simulations were performed to examine the influence of plasma effects on high harmonic spectra from the interaction of ultra-intense p-polarized laser pulses with overdense plasma targets. Furthermore, a theoretical model is proposed to explain the radiation mechanism that leads to attosecond pulse generation in the reflected field. It is shown that plasma harmonic emission affects the spectral characteristics, causing deviations in the harmonic power decay as compared with the so-called universal 8/3-decay. These deviations may occur, in a varying degree, as a consequence of the extent to which the plasma line and its harmonics affect the emission. It is also found a strong correlation of the emitted attosecond pulses with electron density structures within the plasma, responsible to generate intense localised electrostatic fields. A theoretical model based on the excitation of Langmuir waves by the re-entrant Brunel electron beams in the plasma and their electromagnetic interaction with the laser field is proposed to explain the flatter power spectral emission - described by a weaker 5/3 index and observed in numerical simulations - than that of the universal decay.

High-Power, High-Intensity Laser Propagation and Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

2014-03-10

intensity as the weighting function. The full refractive index associated with the laser plasma interaction having a parabolic density variation ...radiation in turn enhances the electron density wave further amplifying the radiation. Considering spatial variations in the z direction only the FEL...effL/ at the entrance to the wiggler where effL is the effective interaction length. This requirement can be expressed by the following inequality

Experimental study of laser-plasma interaction physics with short laser wavelength

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labaune, C.; Amiranoff, F.; Fabre, E.; Matthieussent, G.; Rousseaux, C.; Baton, S.

1989-01-01

Many non-linear processes can affect laser-plasma coupling in fusion experiments. The interaction processes of interest involve three or more waves, including the incident electromagnetic wave and various selections of electromagnetic, electrostatic and accoustic waves. Whenever plasma waves are involved (stimulated Raman scattering, two-plasmon decay instability, parametric decay instability and others), energetic electrons are created through the various damping processes of these waves: these energetic electrons in turn deleteriously affect the compression phase in laser fusion experiments through pre-heating of the fuel core. Some parametric processes lead primarily to loss of incident laser energy (stimulated Brillouin scattering) while others, such as filamentation, lead to strongly enhanced local laser intensities through the focusing of part (or all) of the laser beam into filaments of very small dimensions with a concomitant expulsion of the plasma out of these regions. So filamentation destroys the uniformity of energy deposition in the plasma and prevents high compression efficiency of the target. These interaction effects are typically of parametric nature, with their thresholds and growth rates depending critically on plasma scale lengths. Since these scale lengths increase with available laser energy and since millimeter sized plasmas are expected from reactor targets which will be used in direct drive implosion experiments, a good understanding of these processes and their saturation mechanisms becomes imperative. We report here the results on absolute energy measurements and time-resolved spectra of SRS and SBS obtained in various types of plasmas where the major changes were the inhomogeneity scale lengths. (author) 7 refs., 7 figs

Line intensities for diagnosing laser-produced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kauffman, R.L.; Matthews, D.L.; Lee, R.W.; Whitten, B.L.; Kilkenny, J.D.

1983-01-01

We have measured relative line intensities of the K x-ray spectra of Si, Cl, and Ca from laser-produced plasmas to assess their usefulness as a plasma diagnostic. The different elements are added at low concentrations to CH disks which are irradiated at 5 x 10 14 W/cm 2 with a 0.53 μm laser pulse of 20 Joules at 1 nsec. The concentration of each element is kept low in order not to change the Z of the plasma, and therefore the plasma dynamics. The various spectra are measured with a time-resolved spectrograph to obtain line intensities as a function of time over the length of the laser pulse. These relative intensities of various He-like and H-like lines are compared with calculations from a steady-state level population code. The results give good consistency among the various line ratios. Agreement is not as good for analysis of the Li-like satellite lines. Modelling of the Li-like lines need further investigation. 10 references, 9 figures

Radiation sources based on laser-plasma interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jaroszynski, D.A.; Bingham, R.; Brunetti, E.; Ersfeld, B.; Gallacher, J.G.; Geer, van der S.B.; Issac, R.; Jamison, S.P.; Jones, D.; Loos, de M.J.; Lyachev, A.; Pavlov, V.M.; Reitsma, A.J.W.; Saveliev, Y.M.; Vieux, G.; Wiggins, S.M.

2006-01-01

Plasma waves excited by intense laser beams can be harnessed to produce femtosecond duration bunches of electrons with relativistic energies. The very large electrostatic forces of plasma density wakes trailing behind an intense laser pulse provide field potentials capable of accelerating charged

Electron acceleration by femtosecond laser interaction with micro-structured plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Goers, Andy James

Laser-driven accelerators are a promising and compact alternative to RF accelerator technology for generating relativistic electron bunches for medical, scientific, and security applications. This dissertation presents three experiments using structured plasmas designed to advance the state of the art in laser-based electron accelerators, with the goal of reducing the energy of the drive laser pulse and enabling higher repetition rate operation with current laser technology. First, electron acceleration by intense femtosecond laser pulses in He-like nitrogen plasma waveguides is demonstrated. Second, significant progress toward a proof of concept realization of quasi-phasematched direct acceleration (QPM-DLA) is presented. Finally, a laser wakefield accelerator at very high plasma density is studied, enabling relativistic electron beam generation with ˜10 mJ pulse energies. Major results from these experiments include: • Acceleration of electrons up to 120 MeV from an ionization injected wakefield accelerator driven in a 1.5 mm long He-like nitrogen plasma waveguide • Guiding of an intense, quasi-radially polarized femtosecond laser pulse in a 1 cm plasma waveguide. This pulse provides a strong drive field for the QPM-DLA concept. • Wakefield acceleration of electrons up to ˜10 MeV with sub-terawatt, ˜10 mJ pulses interacting with a thin (˜200 mum), high density (>1020 cm-3) plasma. • Observation of an intense, coherent, broadband wave breaking radiation flash from a high plasma density laser wakefield accelerator. The flash radiates > 1% of the drive laser pulse energy in a bandwidth consistent with half-cycle (˜1 fs) emission from violent unidirectional acceleration of electron bunches from rest. These results open the way to high repetition rate (>˜kHz) laser-driven generation of relativistic electron beams with existing laser technology.

Effects of external magnetic field on harmonics generated in laser interaction with underdense plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faghihi-Nik, M.; Ghorbanalilu, M.; Shokri, B.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Generation of harmonic radiation is an important subject of laser plasma interaction and attracts great attention due to a wide range of applications. It has been seen that intense electromagnetic and quasi-static transverse magnetic fields are generated in laser plasma interaction. An extremely intense magnetic field (up to hundreds of MG) has been observed by experimental measurements in interaction of short laser pulses with plasma. These self-generated or applied magnetic fields affect the propagation of the laser pulses. In most laser interactions with homogeneous plasma, odd harmonics of laser frequency are generated. In this paper, we point out the possibility of even harmonics generation when a linearly polarized laser beam propagates in homogeneous plasma in the presence of a transverse magnetic field. It is shown that applying external field induces a transverse current density oscillating twice of the laser field which leds to generation of second harmonic radiation. This current density is derived using the perturbation method, and the steady state amplitude of the second harmonic obtained by solution of the wave equation. By the same procedure the current density and then the steady state amplitude of higher order harmonics are calculated. The efficiency of harmonic generation (the ratio of harmonic power to incident power) is a drastically function of the strength of external magnetic field. It is found that the efficiency of even harmonics is zero in the absence of magnetic field and increases as the magnetic field is increased. For odd harmonics, applying the external magnetic field enhances the generated harmonics as well. The conversion efficiency also increases with increase in plasma density and intensity of the laser beam.

Interaction of ultra-high intensity laser pulse with a mass limited targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreev, A.A.; Platonov, K.Yu.; Limpouch, J.; Psikal, J.; Kawata, S.

2006-01-01

Complete test of publication follows. Ultra-high intensity laser pulses may be produced now via CPA scheme by using very short laser pulses of a relatively low energy. Interaction of such pulses with massive target is not very efficient as the energy delivered to charged particles spreads out quickly over large distances and it is redistributed between many secondary particles. One possibility to limit this undesirable energy spread is to use mass limited targets (MLT), for example droplets, big clusters or small foil sections. This is an intermediate regime in target dimensions between bulk solid and nanometer-size atomic cluster targets. A few experimental and theoretical studies have been carried out on laser absorption, fast particle generation and induced nuclear fusion reactions in the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with MLT plasma. We investigate here laser interactions with MLT via 2D3V relativistic electromagnetic PIC simulations. We assume spherical droplet as a typical MLT. However, the sphere is represented in 2D simulations by an infinite cylinder irradiated uniformly along its length. We assume that MLT is fully ionized before main pulse interaction either due to insufficient laser contrast or due to a prepulse. For simplicity, we assume homogeneous plasma of high initial temperature. We analyze the interaction of relativistic laser pulses of various polarizations with targets of different shapes, such as a foil, quadrant and sphere. The mechanisms of laser absorption, electron and ion acceleration are clarified for different laser and target parameters. When laser interacts with the target front side, kinetic energy of electrons rises rapidly with fast oscillations in the kinetic and field energy, caused by electron oscillations in the laser field. Small energy oscillations, observed later, are caused by the electron motion back and forth through the droplet. Approximately 40% of laser energy is transferred to the kinetic energy of electrons

The effect of pre-plasma formation under nonlocal transport conditions for ultra-relativistic laser-plasma interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Holec, M.; Nikl, J.; Vranic, M.; Weber, S.

2018-04-01

Interaction of high-power lasers with solid targets is in general strongly affected by the limited contrast available. The laser pre-pulse ionizes the target and produces a pre-plasma which can strongly modify the interaction of the main part of the laser pulse with the target. This is of particular importance for future experiments which will use laser intensities above 1021 W cm-2 and which are subject to the limited contrast. As a consequence the main part of the laser pulse will be modified while traversing the pre-plasma, interacting with it partially. A further complication arises from the fact that the interaction of a high-power pre-pulse with solid targets very often takes place under nonlocal transport conditions, i.e. the characteristic mean-free-path of the particles and photons is larger than the characteristic scale-lengths of density and temperature. The classical diffusion treatment of radiation and heat transport in the hydrodynamic model is then insufficient for the description of the pre-pulse physics. These phenomena also strongly modify the formation of the pre-plasma which in turn affects the propagation of the main laser pulse. In this paper nonlocal radiation-hydrodynamic simulations are carried out and serve as input for subsequent kinetic simulations of ultra-high intensity laser pulses interacting with the plasma in the ultra-relativistic regime. It is shown that the results of the kinetic simulations differ considerably whether a diffusive or nonlocal transport is used for the radiation-hydrodynamic simulations.

On the control of filamentation of intense laser beams propagating in underdense plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, E.A.

2006-01-01

In indirect drive inertial confinement fusion ignition designs, the laser energy is delivered into the hohlraum through the laser entrance holes (LEHs), which are sized as small as practicable to minimize x-ray radiation losses. On the other hand, deleterious laser plasma processes, such as filamentation and stimulated backscatter, typically increase with laser intensity. Ideally, therefore, the laser spot shape should be a close fit to the LEH, with uniform (envelope) intensity in the spot and minimal energy at larger radii spilling onto the LEH material. This keeps the laser intensity as low as possible, consistent with the area of the LEH aperture and the power requirements of the design. This can be achieved (at least for apertures significantly larger than the laser's aberrated focal spot) by the use of custom-designed phase plates. However, outfitting the 192-beam National Ignition Facility [J. A. Paisner, E. M. Campbell, and W. J. Hogan, Fusion Tech. 26, 755 1994)] laser with multiple sets of phase plates optimized for a variety of different LEH aperture sizes is an expensive proposition. It is thus important to assess the impact on laser-plasma interaction processes of using phase plates with a smaller than optimum focal spot (or even no phase plates at all!) and then defocusing the beam to expand it to fill the LEH and lower its intensity. Significant effects are found from changes in the characteristic sizes of the laser speckle, from the lack of uniformity of the laser envelope out of the focal plane and on the efficacy of additional polarization smoothing and/or smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD). These effects are quantified with analytic estimates and simulations using PF3D, our laser-plasma interaction code

Fokker-Planck simulations of interactions of femtosecond laser pulses with dense plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drska, L.; Limpouch, J.; Liska, R.

1993-01-01

The interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with fully ionized solid-state density plasmas in the regime of the normal skin effect was investigated by means of numerical simulation. For short wavelength lasers and 120 fs FWHM laser pulses the regime of normal skin effect is shown to hold for peak intensities up to 10 17 W/cm 2 . Basic characteristics of the interaction are revealed and certain departures of the electron distribution function, of the plasma dielectric constant and of laser absorption from simplistic models are pointed out. (author) 1 tab., 4 figs., 14 refs

Generation of shock fronts in the interaction of the short pulses of intense laser light in supercritical plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez V, V.E.

2004-01-01

The plasma is the state of the matter but diffused in the nature. The sun and the stars big heaps of hot plasma can be considered. The external surface of the terrestrial atmosphere this recovered by a layer of plasma. All gassy discharge (lightning spark arch etc.) this related with the formation of plasma. This way, 99 percent of our environment this formed almost of plasma. It is denominated plasma to the ionized gas in the one which all or most of the atoms have lost one or several of the electrons that belonged him, becoming positive ions and free electrons. In the plasma certain physical characteristics exist as for their behavior like they are the collective movements the quasi neutrality, the Debye length, the uncertainty etc. All these behaviors make that the study of the plasma is complex. For this they exist technical of numeric simulation joined to the technological advance of big computers of more capacity and prosecution speed. The simulation techniques of particles are those where a numeric code is built based on a model or theory of a system that it is wanted to investigate. This way through the simulation the results are compared with those theoretical predictions based on an analytic model. The applications of the physics of the plasma are multiple however we focus ourselves in the interaction laser-plasma. Both finish decades of investigation in the interaction of lasers with plasma they have been carried out in laboratories of Europe, Japan, United States. This studies concern the propagation of intense light laser in dense plasma homogeneous, the radiation absorption in cold plasma and problems related with the generation of suprathermal electrons among others. Other areas of the physics of the plasma-laser interaction that it has been considerable attention is the broadly well-known field as parametric uncertainties induced instabilities by the light and that they include the dispersions for example stimulated Raman and Brillouin being able to

Using self-generated harmonics as a diagnostic of high intensity laser-produced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krushelnick, K; Watts, I; Tatarakis, M; Gopal, A; Wagner, U; Beg, F N; Clark, E L; Clarke, R J; Dangor, A E; Norreys, P A; Wei, M S; Zepf, M

2002-01-01

The interaction of high intensity laser pulses (up to I∼10 20 W cm -2 ) with plasmas can generate very high order harmonics of the laser frequency (up to the 75th order have been observed). Measurements of the properties of these harmonics can provide important insights into the plasma conditions which exist during such interactions. For example, observations of the spectrum of the harmonic emission can provide information of the dynamics of the critical surface as well as information on relativistic non-linear optical effects in the plasma. However, most importantly, observations of the polarization properties of the harmonics can provide a method to measure the ultra-strong magnetic fields (greater than 350 MG) which can be generated during these interactions. It is likely that such techniques can be scaled to provide a significant amount of information from experiments at even higher intensities

Laser-matter interaction at high intensity and high temporal contrast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doumy, G.

2006-01-01

The continuous progress in the development of laser installations has already lead to ultra-short pulses capable of achieving very high focalized intensities (I > 10 18 W/cm 2 ). At these intensities, matter presents new non-linear behaviours, due to the fact that the electrons are accelerated to relativistic speeds. The experimental access to this interaction regime on solid targets has long been forbidden because of the presence, alongside the femtosecond pulse, of a pedestal (mainly due to the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) which occurs in the laser chain) intense enough to modify the state of the target. In this thesis, we first characterized, both experimentally and theoretically, a device which allows an improvement of the temporal contrast of the pulse: the Plasma Mirror. It consists in adjusting the focusing of the pulse on a dielectric target, so that the pedestal is mainly transmitted, while the main pulse is reflected by the overcritical plasma that it forms at the surface. The implementation of such a device on the UHI 10 laser facility (CEA Saclay - 10 TW - 60 fs) then allowed us to study the interaction between ultra-intense, high contrast pulses with solid targets. In a first part, we managed to generate and characterize dense plasmas resulting directly from the interaction between the main pulse and very thin foils (100 nm). This characterization was realized by using an XUV source obtained by high order harmonics generation in a rare gas jet. In a second part, we studied experimentally the phenomenon of high order harmonics generation on solid targets, which is still badly understood, but could potentially lead to a new kind of energetic ultra-short XUV sources. (author)

Plasma ion emission from high intensity picosecond laser pulse interactions with solid targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fews, A.P.; Norreys, P.A.; Beg, F.N.; Bell, A.R.; Dangor, A.E.; Danson, C.N.; Lee, P.; Rose, S.J.

1994-01-01

The fast ion emission from high intensity, picosecond laser plasmas has been measured to give the characteristic ion energy and the amount of laser energy transferred to ions with energies ≥100 keV/nucleon as a function of incident intensity. The characteristic ion energy varies from 0.2 to 1.3 MeV over the range 2.0x10 17 --2.0x10 18 W cm -2 . Ten percent of the laser energy is transferred into MeV ions at 2.0x10 18 W cm -2 . Calculations of stopping power in high density materials are presented that show that fast ions cannot be ignored in modeling fast ignitor schemes

Control of ion beam generation in intense short pulse laser target interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagashima, T.; Izumiyama, T.; Barada, D.; Kawata, S.; Gu, Y.J.; Wang, W.M.; Ma, Y.Y.; Kong, Q.

2013-01-01

In intense laser plasma interaction, several issues still remain to be solved for future laser particle acceleration. In this paper we focus on a control of generation of high-energy ions. In this study, near-critical density plasmas are employed and are illuminated by high intensity short laser pulses; we have successfully generated high-energy ions, and also controlled ion energy and the ion energy spectrum by multiple-stages acceleration. We performed particle-in-cell simulations in this paper. The first near-critical plasma target is illuminated by a laser pulse, and the ions accelerated are transferred to the next target. The next identical target is also illuminated by another identical large pulse, and the ion beam introduced is further accelerated and controlled. In this study four stages are employed, and finally a few hundreds of MeV of protons are realized. A quasi-monoenergetic energy spectrum is also obtained. (author)

Study of ultra-high gradient wakefield excitation by intense ultrashort laser pulses in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotaki, Hideyuki

2002-12-01

We investigate a mechanism of nonlinear phenomena in laser-plasma interaction, a laser wakefield excited by intense laser pulses, and the possibility of generating an intense bright electron source by an intense laser pulse. We need to understand and further employ some of these phenomena for our purposes. We measure self-focusing, filamentation, and the anomalous blueshift of the laser pulse. The ionization of gas with the self-focusing causes a broad continuous spectrum with blueshift. The normal blueshift depends on the laser intensity and the plasma density. We, however, have found different phenomenon. The laser spectrum shifts to fixed wavelength independent of the laser power and gas pressure above some critical power. We call the phenomenon 'anomalous blueshift'. The results are explained by the formation of filaments. An intense laser pulse can excite a laser wakefield in plasma. The coherent wakefield excited by 2 TW, 50 fs laser pulses in a gas-jet plasma around 10 18 cm -3 is measured with a time-resolved frequency domain interferometer (FDI). The density distribution of the helium gas is measured with a time-resolved Mach-Zehnder interferometer to search for the optimum laser focus position and timing in the gas-jet. The results show an accelerating wakefield excitation of 20 GeV/m with good coherency, which is useful for ultrahigh gradient particle acceleration in a compact system. This is the first time-resolved measurement of laser wakefield excitation in a gas-jet plasma. The experimental results are compared with a Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulation. The pump-probe interferometer system of FDI and the anomalous blueshift will be modified to the optical injection system as a relativistic electron beam injector. In 1D PIC simulation we obtain the results of high quality intense electron beam acceleration. These results illuminate the possibility of a high energy and a high quality electron beam acceleration. (author)

The Validity of a Paraxial Approximation in the Simulation of Laser Plasma Interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hyole, E. M.

2000-01-01

The design of high-power lasers such as those used for inertial confinement fusion demands accurate modeling of the interaction between lasers and plasmas. In inertial confinement fusion, initial laser pulses ablate material from the hohlraum, which contains the target, creating a plasma. Plasma density variations due to plasma motion, ablating material and the ponderomotive force exerted by the laser on the plasma disrupt smooth laser propagation, undesirably focusing and scattering the light. Accurate and efficient computational simulations aid immensely in developing an understanding of these effects. In this paper, we compare the accuracy of two methods for calculating the propagation of laser light through plasmas. A full laser-plasma simulation typically consists of a fluid model for the plasma motion and a laser propagation model. These two pieces interact with each other as follows. First, given the plasma density, one propagates the laser with a refractive index determined by this density. Then, given the laser intensities, the calculation of one time step of the plasma motion provides a new density for the laser propagation. Because this procedure repeats over many time steps, each piece must be performed accurately and efficiently. In general, calculation of the light intensities necessitates the solution of the Helmholtz equation with a variable index of refraction. The Helmholtz equation becomes extremely difficult and time-consuming to solve as the problem size increases. The size of laser-plasma problems of present interest far exceeds current capabilities. To avoid solving the full Helmholtz equation one may use a partial approximation. Generally speaking the partial approximation applies when one expects negligible backscattering of the light and only mild scattering transverse to the direction of light propagation. This approximation results in a differential equation that is first-order in the propagation direction that can be integrated

High intensity laser interactions with sub-micron droplets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mountford, L.C.

1999-01-01

A high-density source of liquid ethanol droplets has been developed, characterised and used in laser interaction studies for the first time. Mie Scattering and attenuation measurements show that droplets with a radius of (0.5 ± 0.1) μm and atomic densities of 10 19 atoms/cm 3 can be produced, bridging the gap between clusters and macroscopic solids. Lower density (10 16 cm -3 ) sprays can also be produced and these are electrostatically split into smaller droplets with a radius of (0.3 ± 0.1) μm. This work has been accepted for publication in Review of Scientific Instruments. A range of high intensity interaction experiments have been carried out with this unique sub-micron source. The absolute yield of keV x-rays, generated using 527 nm, 2 ps pulses focused to ∼10 17 W/cm 2 , was measured for the first time. ∼7 μJ of x-rays with photon energies above 1 keV were produced, comparable to yields obtained from much higher Z Xenon clusters. At intensities ≤10 16 W/cm 2 the yield from droplets exceeds that from solid targets of similar Z. The droplet medium is debris free and self-renewing, providing a suitable x-ray source for lithographic techniques. Due to the spacing between the droplets, it was expected that the droplet plasma temperature would exceed that of a solid target plasma, which is typically limited by rapid heat conduction to <1 keV. Analysis of the x-ray data shows this to be true with a mean droplet plasma temperature of (2 ± 0.8) keV, and a number of measurements exceeding 5 keV (to appear in Applied Physics Letters). The absorption of high intensity laser pulses in the dense spray has been measured for the first time and this was found to be wavelength and polarisation independent and in excess of 60%. These first interaction measurements clearly indicate that there are significant differences between the laser heating of droplet, solid and cluster targets. (author)

On the Acceleration and Transport of Electrons Generated by Intense Laser-Plasma Interactions at Sharp Interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

May, Joshua Joseph

The continued development of the chirped pulse amplification technique has allowed for the development of lasers with powers of in excess of 10 15W, for pulse lengths with durations of between .01 and 10 picoseconds, and which can be focused to energy densities greater than 100 giga-atmospheres. When such lasers are focused onto material targets, the possibility of creating particle beams with energy fluxes of comparable parameters arises. Such interactions have a number of theorized applications. For instance, in the Fast Ignition concept for Inertial Confinement Fusion [1], a high-intensity laser efficiently transfers its energy into an electron beam with an appropriate spectra which is then transported into a compressed target and initiate a fusion reaction. Another possible use is the so called Radiation Pressure Acceleration mechanism, in which a high-intensity, circularly polarized laser is used to create a mono-energetic ion beam which could then be used for medical imaging and treatment, among other applications. For this latter application, it is important that the laser energy is transferred to the ions and not to the electrons. However the physics of such high energy-density laser-matter interactions is highly kinetic and non-linear, and presently not fully understood. In this dissertation, we use the Particle-in-Cell code OSIRIS [2, 3] to explore the generation and transport of relativistic particle beams created by high intensity lasers focused onto solid density matter at normal incidence. To explore the generation of relativistic electrons by such interactions, we use primarily one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D), and a few three-dimensional simulations (3D). We initially examine the idealized case of normal incidence of relatively short, plane-wave lasers on flat, sharp interfaces. We find that in 1D the results are highly dependent on the initial temperature of the plasma, with significant absorption into relativistic electrons only

Ion Acceleration by Ultra-intense Laser Pulse Interacting with Double-layer Near-critical Density Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu, Y. J.; Kong, Q.; Li, X. F.; Yu, Q.; Wang, P. X.; Kawata, S.; Izumiyama, T.; Nagashima, T.; Takano, M.; Barada, D.; Ma, Y. Y.

2016-01-01

A collimated ion beam is generated through the interaction between ultra-intense laser pulse and a double layer plasma. The maximum energy is above 1 GeV and the total charge of high energy protons is about several tens of nC/μm. The double layer plasma is combined with an underdense plasma and a thin overdense one. The wakefield traps and accelerates a bunch of electrons to high energy in the first underdense slab. When the well collimated electron beam accelerated by the wakefield penetrates through the second overdense slab, it enhances target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) and breakout after-burner (BOA) regimes. The mechanism is simulated and analyzed by 2.5 dimensional Particle-in-cell code. Compared with single target TNSA or BOA, both the acceleration gradient and energy transfer efficiency are higher in the double layer regime. (paper)

Progress in Long Scale Length Laser-Plasma Interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glenzer, S H; Arnold, P; Bardsley, G; Berger, R L; Bonanno, G; Borger, T; Bower, D E; Bowers, M; Bryant, R; Buckman, S.; Burkhart, S C; Campbell, K; Chrisp, M P; Cohen, B I; Constantin, G; Cooper, F; Cox, J; Dewald, E; Divol, L; Dixit, S; Duncan, J; Eder, D; Edwards, J; Erbert, G; Felker, B; Fornes, J; Frieders, G; Froula, D H; Gardner, S D; Gates, C; Gonzalez, M; Grace, S; Gregori, G; Greenwood, A; Griffith, R; Hall, T; Hammel, B A; Haynam, C; Heestand, G; Henesian, M; Hermes, G; Hinkel, D; Holder, J; Holdner, F; Holtmeier, G; Hsing, W; Huber, S; James, T; Johnson, S; Jones, O S; Kalantar, D; Kamperschroer, J H; Kauffman, R; Kelleher, T; Knight, J; Kirkwood, R K; Kruer, W L; Labiak, W; Landen, O L; Langdon, A B; Langer, S; Latray, D; Lee, A; Lee, F D; Lund, D; MacGowan, B; Marshall, S; McBride, J; McCarville, T; McGrew, L; Mackinnon, A J; Mahavandi, S; Manes, K; Marshall, C; Mertens, E; Meezan, N; Miller, G; Montelongo, S; Moody, J D; Moses, E; Munro, D; Murray, J; Neumann, J; Newton, M; Ng, E; Niemann, C; Nikitin, A; Opsahl, P; Padilla, E; Parham, T; Parrish, G; Petty, C; Polk, M; Powell, C; Reinbachs, I; Rekow, V; Rinnert, R; Riordan, B; Rhodes, M.

2003-01-01

The first experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) have employed the first four beams to measure propagation and laser backscattering losses in large ignition-size plasmas. Gas-filled targets between 2 mm and 7 mm length have been heated from one side by overlapping the focal spots of the four beams from one quad operated at 351 nm (3ω) with a total intensity of 2 x 10 15 W cm -2 . The targets were filled with 1 atm of CO 2 producing of up to 7 mm long homogeneously heated plasmas with densities of n e = 6 x 10 20 cm -3 and temperatures of T e = 2 keV. The high energy in a NIF quad of beams of 16kJ, illuminating the target from one direction, creates unique conditions for the study of laser plasma interactions at scale lengths not previously accessible. The propagation through the large-scale plasma was measured with a gated x-ray imager that was filtered for 3.5 keV x rays. These data indicate that the beams interact with the full length of this ignition-scale plasma during the last ∼1 ns of the experiment. During that time, the full aperture measurements of the stimulated Brillouin scattering and stimulated Raman scattering show scattering into the four focusing lenses of 6% for the smallest length (∼2 mm). increasing to 12% for ∼7 mm. These results demonstrate the NIF experimental capabilities and further provide a benchmark for three-dimensional modeling of the laser-plasma interactions at ignition-size scale lengths

Electron self-injection and acceleration in the bubble regime of laser-plasma interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostyukov, I.; Nerush, E.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. The intense laser-plasma and beam-plasma interactions are highly nonlinear-phenomena, which besides being of fundamental interest, attract a great attention due to a number of important applications. One of the key applications is particle acceleration based on excitation of the strong plasma wakefield by laser pulse. In the linear regime of interaction when the laser intensity is low the plasma wake is the linear plasma wave. Moreover, the ponderomotive force of the laser pulse pushes out the plasma electrons from high intensity region leaving behind the laser pulse the plasma cavity - bubble, which is almost free from the plasma electrons. This is the bubble the laser-plasma interaction. Although the bubble propagates with velocity, which is close to speed of light, the huge charge of unshielded ions inside the plasma cavity can trap the cold plasma electrons. Moreover, the electrons are trapped in the accelerated phase of the bubble plasma field thereby leading to efficient electron acceleration. The electron self-injection is an important advantage of the plasma-based acceleration, which allows to exclude the beam loading system requiring accurate synchronization and additional space. The recent experiments have demonstrated high efficiency of the electron self-injection. The beam quality is often of crucial importance in many applications ranging from inertial confinement fusion to the x-ray free electron lasers. Despite a great interest there is still a little theory for relativistic electron dynamics in the plasma wake in multidimensional geometry including electron self-injection. The dynamics of the self-injected electrons can be roughly divided into three stage: (i) electron scattering by the laser pulse, (ii) electron trapping by the bubble, (iii) electron acceleration in the bubble. We developed two analytical models for electron dynamics in the bubble field and verify them by direct measurements of model parameters

Interaction of high power ultrashort laser pulses with plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geissler, M.

2000-12-01

The invention of short laser-pulses has opened a vast application range from testing ultra high-speed semiconductor devices to precision material processing, from triggering and tracing chemical reactions to sophisticated surgical applications in opthalmology and neurosurgery. In physical science, ultrashort light pulses enable researchers to follow ultrafast relaxation processes in the microcosm on time scale never before accessible and study light-matter-interactions at unprecedented intensity levels. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the interaction of ultrashort high power laser pulses with plasmas for a broad intensity range. First the ionization of atoms with intense laser fields is investigated. For sufficient strong and low frequent laser pulses, electrons can be removed from the core by a tunnel process through a potential barrier formed by the electric field of the laser. This mechanism is described by a well-established theory, but the interaction of few-cycle laser pulses with atoms can lead to regimes where the tunnel theory loses its validity. This regime is investigated and a new description of the ionization is found. Although the ionization plays a major role in many high-energy laser processes, there exist no simple and complete model for the evolution of laser pulses in field-ionizing media. A new propagation equation and the polarization response for field-ionizing media are presented and the results are compared with experimental data. Further the interaction of high power laser radiation with atoms result in nonlinear response of the electrons. The spectrum of this induced nonlinear dipole moment reaches beyond visible wavelengths into the x-ray regime. This effect is known as high harmonic generation (HHG) and is a promising tool for the generation of coherent shot wavelength radiation, but the conversions are still not efficient enough for most practical applications. Phase matching schemes to overcome the limitation are discussed

Influence of irradiation conditions on plasma evolution in laser-surface interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Hermann, J.; Boulmer-Leborgne, C.; Dubreuil, B.; Mihailescu, I. N.

1993-09-01

The plasma plume induced by pulsed CO2 laser irradiation of a Ti target at power densities up to 4×108 W cm-2 was studied by emission spectroscopy. Time- and space-resolved measurements were performed by varying laser intensity, laser temporal pulse shape, ambient gas pressure, and the nature of the ambient gas. Experimental results are discussed by comparison with usual models. We show that shock wave and plasma propagation depend critically on the ratio Ivap/Ii, Ivap being the intensity threshold for surface vaporization and Ii the plasma ignition threshold of the ambient gas. Spectroscopic diagnostics of the helium breakdown plasma show maximum values of electron temperature and electron density in the order of kTe˜10 eV and ne=1018 cm-3, respectively. The plasma cannot be described by local thermodynamic equilibrium modeling. Nevertheless, excited metal atoms appear to be in equilibrium with electrons, hence, they can be used like a probe to measure the electron temperature. In order to get information on the role of the plasma in the laser-surface interaction, Ti surfaces were investigated by microscopy after irradiation. Thus an enhanced momentum transfer from the plasma to the target due to the recoil pressure of the breakdown plasma could be evidenced.

Plasma discreteness effects in the presence of an intense, ultrashort laser pulse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savchenko, V.I.; Fisch, N.J.

1996-03-01

Discrete effects of the plasma irradiated by an ultrashort, intense laser pulse are investigated. Although, for most plasmas of interest, the damping of the laser pulse is due to collective plasma effects, in certain regimes the energy absorbed in the plasma microfields can be important. A scattering matrix is derived for an electron scattering off an ion in the presence of an intense laser field.

Plasma discreteness effects in the presence of an intense, ultrashort laser pulse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savchenko, V.I.; Fisch, N.J.

1996-03-01

Discrete effects of the plasma irradiated by an ultrashort, intense laser pulse are investigated. Although, for most plasmas of interest, the damping of the laser pulse is due to collective plasma effects, in certain regimes the energy absorbed in the plasma microfields can be important. A scattering matrix is derived for an electron scattering off an ion in the presence of an intense laser field

Laser-electron Compton interaction in plasma channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pogorelsky, I.V.; Ben-Zvi, I.; Hirose, T.

1998-10-01

A concept of high intensity femtosecond laser synchrotron source (LSS) is based on Compton backscattering of focused electron and laser beams. The short Rayleigh length of the focused laser beam limits the length of interaction to a few picoseconds. However, the technology of the high repetition rate high-average power picosecond lasers required for high put through LSS applications is not developed yet. Another problem associated with the picosecond laser pulses is undesirable nonlinear effects occurring when the laser photons are concentrated in a short time interval. To avoid the nonlinear Compton scattering, the laser beam has to be split, and the required hard radiation flux is accumulated over a number of consecutive interactions that complicates the LSS design. In order to relieve the technological constraints and achieve a practically feasible high-power laser synchrotron source, the authors propose to confine the laser-electron interaction region in the extended plasma channel. This approach permits to use nanosecond laser pulses instead of the picosecond pulses. That helps to avoid the nonlinear Compton scattering regime and allows to utilize already existing technology of the high-repetition rate TEA CO 2 lasers operating at the atmospheric pressure. They demonstrate the advantages of the channeled LSS approach by the example of the prospective polarized positron source for Japan Linear Collider

The influence of laser-particle interaction in laser induced breakdown spectroscopy and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindner, Helmut; Loper, Kristofer H.; Hahn, David W.; Niemax, Kay

2011-01-01

Particles produced by previous laser shots may have significant influence on the analytical signal in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma (LA-ICP) spectrometry if they remain close to the position of laser sampling. The effects of these particles on the laser-induced breakdown event are demonstrated in several ways. LIBS-experiments were conducted in an ablation cell at atmospheric conditions in argon or air applying a dual-pulse arrangement with orthogonal pre-pulse, i.e., plasma breakdown in a gas generated by a focussed laser beam parallel and close to the sample surface followed by a delayed crossing laser pulse in orthogonal direction which actually ablates material from the sample and produces the LIBS plasma. The optical emission of the LIBS plasma as well as the absorption of the pre-pulse laser was measured. In the presence of particles in the focus of the pre-pulse laser, the plasma breakdown is affected and more energy of the pre-pulse laser is absorbed than without particles. As a result, the analyte line emission from the LIBS plasma of the second laser is enhanced. It is assumed that the enhancement is not only due to an increase of mass ablated by the second laser but also to better atomization and excitation conditions favored by a reduced gas density in the pre-pulse plasma. Higher laser pulse frequencies increase the probability of particle-laser interaction and, therefore, reduce the shot-to-shot line intensity variation as compared to lower particle loadings in the cell. Additional experiments using an aerosol chamber were performed to further quantify the laser absorption by the plasma in dependence on time both with and without the presence of particles. The overall implication of laser-particle interactions for LIBS and LA-ICP-MS/OES are discussed.

The influence of laser-particle interaction in laser induced breakdown spectroscopy and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Lindner, Helmut; Loper, Kristofer H.; Hahn, David W.; Niemax, Kay

2011-02-01

Particles produced by previous laser shots may have significant influence on the analytical signal in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma (LA-ICP) spectrometry if they remain close to the position of laser sampling. The effects of these particles on the laser-induced breakdown event are demonstrated in several ways. LIBS-experiments were conducted in an ablation cell at atmospheric conditions in argon or air applying a dual-pulse arrangement with orthogonal pre-pulse, i.e., plasma breakdown in a gas generated by a focussed laser beam parallel and close to the sample surface followed by a delayed crossing laser pulse in orthogonal direction which actually ablates material from the sample and produces the LIBS plasma. The optical emission of the LIBS plasma as well as the absorption of the pre-pulse laser was measured. In the presence of particles in the focus of the pre-pulse laser, the plasma breakdown is affected and more energy of the pre-pulse laser is absorbed than without particles. As a result, the analyte line emission from the LIBS plasma of the second laser is enhanced. It is assumed that the enhancement is not only due to an increase of mass ablated by the second laser but also to better atomization and excitation conditions favored by a reduced gas density in the pre-pulse plasma. Higher laser pulse frequencies increase the probability of particle-laser interaction and, therefore, reduce the shot-to-shot line intensity variation as compared to lower particle loadings in the cell. Additional experiments using an aerosol chamber were performed to further quantify the laser absorption by the plasma in dependence on time both with and without the presence of particles. The overall implication of laser-particle interactions for LIBS and LA-ICP-MS/OES are discussed.

60th Scottish Universities Summer School in Physics: 6th Laser-plasma interactions

CERN Document Server

Cairns, R A; Jaroszinski, D A

2009-01-01

Presents diagnostic methods, experimental techniques, and simulation tools used to study and model laser-plasma interactions. This book discusses the basic theory of the interaction of intense electromagnetic radiation fields with matter.

Intra-pulse transition between ion acceleration mechanisms in intense laser-foil interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Padda, H.; King, M.; Gray, R. J.; Powell, H. W.; Gonzalez-Izquierdo, B.; Wilson, R.; Dance, R. J.; MacLellan, D. A.; Butler, N. M. H.; Capdessus, R.; McKenna, P., E-mail: paul.mckenna@strath.ac.uk [SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG (United Kingdom); Stockhausen, L. C. [Centro de Laseres Pulsados (CLPU), Parque Cientifico, Calle del Adaja s/n. 37185 Villamayor, Salamanca (Spain); Carroll, D. C. [Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX (United Kingdom); Yuan, X. H. [Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Borghesi, M. [Centre for Plasma Physics, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Neely, D. [SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG (United Kingdom); Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX (United Kingdom)

2016-06-15

Multiple ion acceleration mechanisms can occur when an ultrathin foil is irradiated with an intense laser pulse, with the dominant mechanism changing over the course of the interaction. Measurement of the spatial-intensity distribution of the beam of energetic protons is used to investigate the transition from radiation pressure acceleration to transparency-driven processes. It is shown numerically that radiation pressure drives an increased expansion of the target ions within the spatial extent of the laser focal spot, which induces a radial deflection of relatively low energy sheath-accelerated protons to form an annular distribution. Through variation of the target foil thickness, the opening angle of the ring is shown to be correlated to the point in time transparency occurs during the interaction and is maximized when it occurs at the peak of the laser intensity profile. Corresponding experimental measurements of the ring size variation with target thickness exhibit the same trends and provide insight into the intra-pulse laser-plasma evolution.

Confirmation of radiation pressure effects in laser--plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Attwood, D.T.; Sweeney, D.W.; Auerbach, J.M.; Lee, P.H.Y.

1977-10-01

Interferometric data resolved in 1μm and 15 psec confirms the dominant role of radiation pressure during high intensity laser-plasma interactions. Specifically observed manifestations include electron density profiles steepened to 1 μm scale length, clearly defined upper and lower density shelves, and small and large scale deformation of transverse isodensity surfaces

Measurements of magnetic fields generated in underdense plasmas by intense lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najmudin, Z.; Walton, B. R.; Mangles, S. P. D.; Dangor, A. E.; Krushelnick, K.; Fritzler, S.; Malka, V.; Faure, J.; Tatarakis, M.

2006-01-01

Measurements have been made of the magnetic field generated by the passage of high intensity short laser pulses through underdense plasmas. For a 30 fs, 1 J, 800 nm linearly-polarised laser pulse, an azimuthal magnetic field is observed at a radial extent of approximately 200 μm. The field is found to exceed 2.8 MG. For a 1 ps, 40 J, 1054 nm circularly-polarised laser pulse, a solenoidal field is observed that can exceed 7 MG. This solenoidal field is absent with linear polarised light, and hence can be considered as an Inverse Faraday effect. Both types of field are found to decay on the picosecond timescale. For both the azimuthal and solenoidal fields produced by such intense lasers, the production of energetic electrons by the interaction is thought to be vital for magnetic field generation

Laser-matter interaction at high intensity and high temporal contrast; Interaction laser matiere a haut flux et fort contraste temporel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doumy, G

2006-01-15

The continuous progress in the development of laser installations has already lead to ultra-short pulses capable of achieving very high focalized intensities (I > 10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2}). At these intensities, matter presents new non-linear behaviours, due to the fact that the electrons are accelerated to relativistic speeds. The experimental access to this interaction regime on solid targets has long been forbidden because of the presence, alongside the femtosecond pulse, of a pedestal (mainly due to the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) which occurs in the laser chain) intense enough to modify the state of the target. In this thesis, we first characterized, both experimentally and theoretically, a device which allows an improvement of the temporal contrast of the pulse: the Plasma Mirror. It consists in adjusting the focusing of the pulse on a dielectric target, so that the pedestal is mainly transmitted, while the main pulse is reflected by the overcritical plasma that it forms at the surface. The implementation of such a device on the UHI 10 laser facility (CEA Saclay - 10 TW - 60 fs) then allowed us to study the interaction between ultra-intense, high contrast pulses with solid targets. In a first part, we managed to generate and characterize dense plasmas resulting directly from the interaction between the main pulse and very thin foils (100 nm). This characterization was realized by using an XUV source obtained by high order harmonics generation in a rare gas jet. In a second part, we studied experimentally the phenomenon of high order harmonics generation on solid targets, which is still badly understood, but could potentially lead to a new kind of energetic ultra-short XUV sources. (author)

Ultra-intense laser-matter interactions at extreme parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hegellich, Bjorn M.

2010-01-01

at less than 3nm, i.e. 1/300 of the laser wavelength, are even thinner than the plasma skin depth. This drastically changes the laser-matter interaction physics leading to the emergence of new particle acceleration mechanisms, like Break-Out Afterburner (BOA) Acceleration, driven by a relativistic, kinetic plasma instability or Radiation Pressure Acceleration (RPA), driven by stabilized charge separation. Furthermore, these interactions also produce relativistic high harmonics in forward direction as well as mono-en,ergetic electron pulses which might lend itself as a source for fully coherent Thomson scattering in the mulit-keV regime. In this talk I will present an overview over the laser developments leading to this paradigm change as well as over the theoretical and experimental results following from it. Specifically we were able for the first time to demonstrate BOA acceleration of Carbon ions to up to 0.5 GeV using a laser pulse with ∼10 20 W/cm 2 intensity and showing the scalability of this mechanism into regimes relevant for Hadron Therapy. We were further able to demonstrate mono-energetic electron break-out from ultrathin targets, as a first step towards a flying mirror.

Preliminary design of experiment high power density laser beam interaction with plasmas and development of a cold cathode electron beam laser amplifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mosavi, R.K.; Kohanzadeh, Y.; Taherzadeh, M.; Vaziri, A.

1976-01-01

This experiment is designed to produce plasma by carbon dioxide pulsed laser, to measure plasma parameters and to study the interaction of the produced plasma with intense laser beams. The objectives of this experiment are the following: 1. To set up a TEA CO 2 laser oscillator and a cold cathode electron beam laser amplifier together as a system, to produce high energy optical pulses of short duration. 2. To achieve laser intensities of 10 11 watt/cm 2 or more at solid targets of polyethylene (C 2 H 4 )n, lithium hydride (LiH), and lithium deuteride in order to produce high temperature plasmas. 3. To design and develop diagnostic methods for studies of laser-induced plasmas. 4. To develop a high power CO 2 laser amplifier for the purpose of upgrading the optical energy delivered to the targets

Effects of laser wavelength and density scale length on absorption of ultrashort intense lasers on solid-density targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Susumu, Kato; Eiichi, Takahashi; Tatsuya, Aota; Yuji, Matsumoto; Isao, Okuda; Yoshiro, Owadano [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan)

2004-07-01

The interaction of intense laser pulses with overdense plasmas has attracted much interest for the fast igniter concept in inertial fusion energy. Hot electron temperatures and electron energy spectra in the course of interaction between intense laser pulse and overdense plasmas are reexamined from a viewpoint of the difference in laser wavelength. The hot electron temperature measured by a particle-in-cell simulation is scaled by I rather than I{lambda}{sup 2} at the interaction with overdense plasmas with fixed ions, where I and {lambda} are the laser intensity and wavelength, respectively. (authors)

Nonlinear laser-plasma interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Kaw, P. K.

2017-12-01

Soon after lasers were invented, there was tremendous curiosity on the nonlinear phenomena which would result in their interaction with a fully ionized plasma. Apart from the basic interest, it was realized that it could be used for the achievement of nuclear fusion in the laboratory. This led us to a paper on the propagation of a laser beam into an inhomogeneous fusion plasma, where it was first demonstrated that light would go up to the critical layer (where the frequency matches the plasma frequency) and get reflected from there with a reflection coefficient of order unity. The reflection coefficient was determined by collisional effects. Since the wave was expected to slow down to near zero group speed at the reflection point, the dominant collision frequency determining the reflection coefficient was the collision frequency at the reflection point. It turned out that the absorption of light was rather small for fusion temperatures. This placed a premium on investigation of nonlinear phenomena which might contribute to the absorption and penetration of the light into high-density plasma. An early investigation showed that electron jitter with respect to ions would be responsible for the excitation of decay instabilities which convert light waves into electrostatic plasma waves and ion waves near the critical frequency. These electrostatic waves would then get absorbed into the plasma even in the collisionless case and lead to plasma heating which is nonlinear. Detailed estimates of this heating were made. Similar nonlinear processes which could lead to stimulated scattering of light in the underdense region (ω >ω _p) were investigated together with a number of other workers. All these nonlinear processes need a critical threshold power for excitation. Another important process which was discovered around the same time had to do with filamentation and trapping of light when certain thresholds were exceeded. All of this work has been extensively verified in

Emission spectra from super-critical rippled plasma density profiles illuminated by intense laser pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ondarza R, R.; Boyd, T.J.M.

2000-01-01

High-order harmonic emission from the interaction of intense femtosecond laser pulses with super-critical plasmas characterized by a rippled density profile at the vacuum-plasma interface has been observed from particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. A plasma simulation box several laser wavelengths in extent was prepared with a rippled density of a fraction of a laser wavelength. Emission spectra at the very initial stage of the interaction were recorded with spectral characteristics dissimilar to those previously reported in the literature. The reflected light spectra were characterized by a strong emission at the plasma line and by a series of harmonics at multiples of the ripple frequency. Harmonic spectra were obtained for different values of the plasma ripple frequency. In all cases the harmonics were emitted at the precise multiple harmonic number of the ripple frequency. Another important feature apparent from the simulations was that the emission peaks appeared to havea complex structure as compared with those for unrippled plasmas. For the cases when the plasma was rippled the peaks that corresponded to the multiples of the rippled density typically showed a double peak for the first few harmonics. The reflected emission plots for the main laser pulse showed strong emission at the plasma frequency and at multiples of that frequency as reported by the authors in the literature. (Author)

Synchrotron radiation based on laser-plasma interaction in the relativistic range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albert, F.

2007-12-01

This work illustrates the experimental characterization of a new compact X-ray source: the Betatron X-ray source. It is the first time that collimated hard X-ray source is produced by laser. Through the focusing of an ultra-intense laser radiation (30 TW, 30 fs) on a helium plasma, the ponderomotive force linked to the light intensity gradient expels the plasma electrons forming an accelerating cavity in the wake of the laser plasma. Some electrons trapped in the back of this structure, are accelerated and oscillate to produce X-radiation. This document is composed of 8 chapters. The first one is a presentation of the topic. The second chapter gives an account of the physics behind the laser-plasma interaction in the relativistic range and for ultra-short pulses. The third chapter presents the theoretical characteristics of the Betatron X-ray source. This chapter begins with an analogy with current synchrotron radiation and the radiation emitted by an electron undergoing Betatron oscillations is described in terms of power, spectral intensity and photon flux. The fourth chapter is dedicated to the numerical simulation of the Betatron radiation. The trajectories of the electrons are computed from the equation of motion, taking into account longitudinal and transverse forces. The radiation emission term is then computed from the radiation equation detailed in the previous chapter. The fifth chapter presents the experimental setting to produce Betatron X-rays. The sixth chapter gives the experimental characterization of the source (size, divergence and spectrum) on one hand, and on the other hand studies how source flux and spectra vary when laser and plasma parameters change. The seventh chapter presents experimental methods used to characterize the electrons trajectories in the plasma wiggler. The last chapter draws some perspectives on this source in terms of improvement and uses. (A.C.)

Generation of shock fronts in the interaction of short pulses of intense laser light in supercritical plasma; Generacion de frentes de choque en la interaccion de pulsos cortos de luz laser intensa en plasmas supercriticos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez V, V.E. [ITESST, 52650 Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Ondarza R, R. [ININ, 52045 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

2004-07-01

The investigation of the laser interaction with plasma has been carried out mainly in laboratories of Europe, Japan and United States during the last decades. This studies concern the propagation of intense light laser in a non homogeneous plasma, the radiation absorption and the generation of suprathermal electrons, among others. Numerical simulations made by Denavit, for radiation pulses for up of 10{sup 20} W/cm{sup 2} on solid targets, have allowed to observe the generation of ionic crash fronts with high propagation speeds. In this work it is expanded the study of this effect through algorithms of particles simulation. (Author)

A novel femtosecond-gated, high-resolution, frequency-shifted shearing interferometry technique for probing pre-plasma expansion in ultra-intense laser experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feister, S., E-mail: feister.7@osu.edu; Orban, C. [Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (United States); Innovative Scientific Solutions, Inc., Dayton, Ohio 45459 (United States); Nees, J. A. [Innovative Scientific Solutions, Inc., Dayton, Ohio 45459 (United States); Center for Ultra-Fast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States); Morrison, J. T. [Fellow, National Research Council, Washington, D.C. 20001 (United States); Frische, K. D. [Innovative Scientific Solutions, Inc., Dayton, Ohio 45459 (United States); Chowdhury, E. A. [Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (United States); Intense Energy Solutions, LLC., Plain City, Ohio 43064 (United States); Roquemore, W. M. [Air Force Research Laboratory, Dayton, Ohio 45433 (United States)

2014-11-15

Ultra-intense laser-matter interaction experiments (>10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2}) with dense targets are highly sensitive to the effect of laser “noise” (in the form of pre-pulses) preceding the main ultra-intense pulse. These system-dependent pre-pulses in the nanosecond and/or picosecond regimes are often intense enough to modify the target significantly by ionizing and forming a plasma layer in front of the target before the arrival of the main pulse. Time resolved interferometry offers a robust way to characterize the expanding plasma during this period. We have developed a novel pump-probe interferometry system for an ultra-intense laser experiment that uses two short-pulse amplifiers synchronized by one ultra-fast seed oscillator to achieve 40-fs time resolution over hundreds of nanoseconds, using a variable delay line and other techniques. The first of these amplifiers acts as the pump and delivers maximal energy to the interaction region. The second amplifier is frequency shifted and then frequency doubled to generate the femtosecond probe pulse. After passing through the laser-target interaction region, the probe pulse is split and recombined in a laterally sheared Michelson interferometer. Importantly, the frequency shift in the probe allows strong plasma self-emission at the second harmonic of the pump to be filtered out, allowing plasma expansion near the critical surface and elsewhere to be clearly visible in the interferograms. To aid in the reconstruction of phase dependent imagery from fringe shifts, three separate 120° phase-shifted (temporally sheared) interferograms are acquired for each probe delay. Three-phase reconstructions of the electron densities are then inferred by Abel inversion. This interferometric system delivers precise measurements of pre-plasma expansion that can identify the condition of the target at the moment that the ultra-intense pulse arrives. Such measurements are indispensable for correlating laser pre-pulse measurements

Prospective application of laser plasma propulsion in rocket technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xin; Zhang Jie; Li Yingjun

2002-01-01

Interest in laser plasma propulsion is growing intensively. The interaction of high intensity short laser pulses with materials can produce plasma expansion with a velocity of hundreds of km/s. The specific impulse of ablative laser propulsion can be many tens of times greater than that of chemical rockets. The development and potential application of laser plasma propulsion are discussed

Hydrodynamic simulation of X-UV laser-produced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fajardo, M.; Zeitoun, P.; Gauthier, J.C.

2004-01-01

With the construction of novel X-UV sources, such as V-UV FEL's (free-electron lasers), X-UV laser-matter interaction will become available at ultra-high intensities. But even table-top facilities such as X-UV lasers or High Harmonic Generation, are starting to reach intensities high enough to produce dense plasmas. X-UV laser-matter interaction is studied by a 1-dimensional hydrodynamic Lagrangian code with radiative transfer for a range of interesting X-UV sources. Heating is found to be very different for Z=12-14 elements having L-edges around the X-UV laser wavelength. Possible absorption mechanisms were investigated in order to explain this behaviour, and interaction with cold dense matter proved to be dominant. Plasma sensitivity to X-UV laser parameters such as energy, pulse duration, and wavelength was also studied, covering ranges of existing X-UV lasers. We found that X-UV laser-produced plasmas could be studied using table-top lasers, paving the way for future V-UV-FEL high intensity experiments. (authors)

Using X-ray spectroheliograph technique for investigations of laser-produced plasma under interaction with strong magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faenov, A.; Dyakin, V.; Magunov, A.; Pikuz, T.; Skobelev, I.; Pikuz, S.; Pisarczyk, T.; Wolowski, J.; Zielinska, E.

1996-01-01

A dense jet of a plasma consisting of multiply charged ions was generated in the interaction of a laser plasma with a strong external axial magnetic field. It is shown that using the high-luminosity X-ray spectroheliograph technique allows to measure plasma emission spectra with 2-dimensional spatial resolution even in the cases when these spectra have small intensities. The X-ray spectroscopy and interferometry methods are used to measure plasma parameter distributions. The dependencies of N e (z) and T e (z) measured in this paper can be used to calculate the evolution of plasma ionization state during plasma expansion. The quasihomogeneous laser jet, which appears when a laser plasma interacts with an external magnetic field can be used not only to form an active medium of a short wavelength laser, but probably also to tackle the urgent problem of transport in a laser ion injector. (orig.)

Using X-ray spectroheliograph technique for investigations of laser-produced plasma under interaction with strong magnetic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faenov, A. [MISDC of VNIIFTRI, Mendeleevo (Russian Federation); Dyakin, V. [MISDC of VNIIFTRI, Mendeleevo (Russian Federation); Magunov, A. [MISDC of VNIIFTRI, Mendeleevo (Russian Federation); Pikuz, T. [MISDC of VNIIFTRI, Mendeleevo (Russian Federation); Skobelev, I. [MISDC of VNIIFTRI, Mendeleevo (Russian Federation); Pikuz, S. [Rossijskaya Akademiya Nauk, Moscow (Russian Federation). Fizicheskij Inst.; Kasperczyk, A. [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Pisarczyk, T. [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Wolowski, J. [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Zielinska, E. [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland)

1996-08-01

A dense jet of a plasma consisting of multiply charged ions was generated in the interaction of a laser plasma with a strong external axial magnetic field. It is shown that using the high-luminosity X-ray spectroheliograph technique allows to measure plasma emission spectra with 2-dimensional spatial resolution even in the cases when these spectra have small intensities. The X-ray spectroscopy and interferometry methods are used to measure plasma parameter distributions. The dependencies of N{sub e}(z) and T{sub e}(z) measured in this paper can be used to calculate the evolution of plasma ionization state during plasma expansion. The quasihomogeneous laser jet, which appears when a laser plasma interacts with an external magnetic field can be used not only to form an active medium of a short wavelength laser, but probably also to tackle the urgent problem of transport in a laser ion injector. (orig.).

NATO Advanced Study Institute on Laser Interactions with Atoms, Solids,and Plasmas

CERN Document Server

1994-01-01

The aim of this NATO Advanced Study Institute was to bring together scientists and students working in the field of laser matter interactions in order to review and stimulate developmentoffundamental science with ultra-short pulse lasers. New techniques of pulse compression and colliding-pulse mode-locking have made possible the construction of lasers with pulse lengths in the femtosecond range. Such lasers are now in operation at several research laboratories in Europe and the United States. These laser facilities present a new and exciting research direction with both pure and applied science components. In this ASI the emphasis is on fundamental processes occurring in the interaction of short laser pulses with atoms, molecules, solids, and plasmas. In the case of laser-atom (molecule) interactions, high power lasers provide the first access to extreme high-intensity conditions above 10'8 Watts/em', a new frontier for nonlinear interaction of photons with atoms and molecules. New phenomena observed include ...

High-Intensity Femtosecond Laser Interaction with Rare Gas Clusters

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

林亚风; 钟钦; 曾淳; 陈哲

2001-01-01

With a 45 fs multiterawatt 790 nm laser system and jets of argon and krypton atomic clusters, a study of the interaction of fs intense laser pulses with large size rare gas dusters was conducted. The maximum laser intensity of about 7 × 1016 W/cm2 and dusters composed of thousands of atoms which were determined through Rayleigh scattering measurements were involved inthe experiments. On the one hand, the results indicate that the interaction is strongly cluster size dependent. The stronger the interaction, the larger the clusters are. On the other hand, a saturation followed by a drop of the energy of ions ejected from the interaction will occur when the laser intensity exceeds a definite value for clusters of a certain size.

High intensive short laser pulse interaction with submicron clusters media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faenov, A. Ya

2008-01-01

The interaction of short intense laser pulses with structured targets, such as clusters, exhibits unique features, stemming from the enhanced absorption of the incident laser light compared to solid targets. Due to the increased absorption, these targets are heated significantly, leading to enhanced emission of x rays in the keV range and generation of electrons and multiple charged ions with kinetic energies from tens of keV to tens of MeV. Possible applications of these targets can be an electron/ion source for a table top accelerator, a neutron source for a material damage study, or an x ray source for microscopy or lithography. The overview of recent results, obtained by the high intensive short laser pulse interaction with different submicron clusters media will be presented. High resolution K and L shell spectra of plasma generated by superintense laser irradiation of micron sized Ar, Kr and Xe clusters have been measured with intensity 10"17"-10"19"W/cm"2"and a pulse duration of 30-1000fs. It is found that hot electrons produced by high contrast laser pulses allow the isochoric heating of clusters and shift the ion balance toward the higher charge states, which enhances both the X ray line yield and the ion kinetic energy. Irradiation of clusters, produced from such gas mixture, by a fs Ti:Sa laser pulses allows to enhance the soft X ray radiation of Heβ(665.7eV)and Lyα(653.7eV)of Oxygen in 2-8 times compare with the case of using as targets pure CO"2"or N"2"O clusters and reach values 2.8x10"10"(∼3μJ)and 2.7x10"10"(∼2.9μJ)ph/(sr·pulse), respectively. Nanostructure conventional soft X ray images of 100nm thick Mo and Zr foils in a wide field of view (cm"2"scale)with high spatial resolution (700nm)are obtained using the LiF crystals as soft X ray imaging detectors. When the target used for the ion acceleration studies consists of solid density clusters embedded into the background gas, its irradiation by high intensity laser light makes the target

Interaction of an ultra-intense laser pulse with a dense plasma: heating and transport of electrons and ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toupin, Catherine

1999-01-01

This work was aimed at characterizing the acceleration and transport of the plasma electrons and ions during the interaction of an ultra-intense laser pulse with a dense plasma. Our main tool was numerical simulation with kinetic particle-in-cell codes. During the interaction, the target surface electrons are accelerated up to high energies inward the target. The electron acceleration mechanisms are proved to strongly depend on the density profile deformation due to the ion motion. This motion has been studied as well and different acceleration mechanisms have been identified: pushing in of the target surface by the laser ponderomotive pressure, acceleration by an electrostatic shock or by breaking of an ion acoustic wave, acceleration by the space charge force induced by radial expulsion of the electrons out of a channel drilled in a slightly overcritical plasma. The electrons and ions accelerated at the target surface penetrate inward the target and interact with it. The competition between the focussing due to the self-generated magnetic field, driven by the very important electron current, and the scattering induced by collisions has been analyzed. In a homogeneous, hot plasma, the existence of an optimum current for which the propagation length without scattering is maximum, has been demonstrated. The electron drag-back effect of the axial electric field is also proved to be more significant than the friction due to collisions. By penetrating into the target, the accelerated ions can produce neutrons if the target is deuterated. A strong correlation between the ion acceleration mechanisms and the angle and energy distributions of the produced neutrons has been underlined. (author) [fr

Electron acceleration in laser-plasma interaction: development and characterization of an optical injector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rechatin, C.

2009-09-01

In any particle accelerator, the injector plays a crucial role since it determines most of the characteristics of the accelerated beam. This is also true for laser-plasma accelerators, that are based on the interaction of an ultra short, ultra intense laser with an underdense plasma. However, due to the compactness of these accelerators, injection is a real challenge: to obtain a good beam quality, injected electron beams have to be ultra short and precisely synchronized with the laser. In this manuscript, the relevance of an optical injector, that relies on a second laser pulse, is experimentally demonstrated. With this injector, mono energetic electron beams have been produced in a stable manner. Moreover, this injector gives control over the electron beam parameters. Using the parameters of the second laser pulse, it has been proven that the energy, the charge and the energy spread of the accelerated beam can be simply tuned. Those additional controls make it possible to study in great details the physical phenomena at play during the acceleration. Beam loading effects, due to the interaction of the accelerated bunch with the plasma, have been identified and studied. With optimized injector parameters, the narrowest electron beams measured to date in the laser plasma interaction have been obtained, with a relative energy spread of 1%. (author)

Interactions between laser and arc plasma during laser-arc hybrid welding of magnesium alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Liming; Chen, Minghua

2011-09-01

This paper presents the results of the investigation on the interactions between laser and arc plasma during laser-arc hybrid welding on magnesium alloy AZ31B using the spectral diagnose technique. By comparably analyzing the variation in plasma information (the shape, the electron temperature and density) of single tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding with the laser-arc hybrid welding, it is found that the laser affects the arc plasma through the keyhole forming on the workpiece. Depending on the welding parameters there are three kinds of interactions taking place between laser and arc plasma.

Progress of laser-plasma interaction simulations with the particle-in-cell code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakagami, Hitoshi; Kishimoto, Yasuaki; Sentoku, Yasuhiko; Taguchi, Toshihiro

2005-01-01

As the laser-plasma interaction is a non-equilibrium, non-linear and relativistic phenomenon, we must introduce a microscopic method, namely, the relativistic electromagnetic PIC (Particle-In-Cell) simulation code. The PIC code requires a huge number of particles to validate simulation results, and its task is very computation-intensive. Thus simulation researches by the PIC code have been progressing along with advances in computer technology. Recently, parallel computers with tremendous computational power have become available, and thus we can perform three-dimensional PIC simulations for the laser-plasma interaction to investigate laser fusion. Some simulation results are shown with figures. We discuss a recent trend of large-scale PIC simulations that enable direct comparison between experimental facts and computational results. We also discharge/lightning simulations by the extended PIC code, which include various atomic and relaxation processes. (author)

Weibel instability mediated collisionless shocks using intense laser-driven plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Palaniyappan, Sasikumar; Fiuza, Federico; Huang, Chengkun; Gautier, Donald; Ma, Wenjun; Schreiber, Jorg; Raymer, Abel; Fernandez, Juan; Shimada, Tom; Johnson, Randall

2017-10-01

The origin of cosmic rays remains a long-standing challenge in astrophysics and continues to fascinate physicists. It is believed that ``collisionless shocks'' - where the particle Coulomb mean free path is much larger that the shock transition - are a dominant source of energetic cosmic rays. These shocks are ubiquitous in astrophysical environments such as gamma-ray bursts, supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebula and coronal mass ejections from the sun. A particular type of electromagnetic plasma instability known as Weibel instability is believed to be the dominant mechanism behind the formation of these collisionless shocks in the cosmos. The understanding of the microphysics behind collisionless shocks and their particle acceleration is tightly related with nonlinear basic plasma processes and remains a grand challenge. In this poster, we will present results from recent experiments at the LANL Trident laser facility studying collisionless shocks using intense ps laser (80J, 650 fs - peak intensity of 1020 W/cm2) driven near-critical plasmas using carbon nanotube foam targets. A second short pulse laser driven protons from few microns thick gold foil is used to radiograph the main laser-driven plasma. Work supported by the LDRD program at LANL.

Simulations of bremsstrahlung emission in ultra-intense laser interactions with foil targets

Science.gov (United States)

Vyskočil, Jiří; Klimo, Ondřej; Weber, Stefan

2018-05-01

Bremsstrahlung emission from interactions of short ultra-intense laser pulses with solid foils is studied using particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. A module for simulating bremsstrahlung has been implemented in the PIC loop to self-consistently account for the dynamics of the laser–plasma interaction, plasma expansion, and the emission of gamma ray photons. This module made it possible to study emission from thin targets, where refluxing of hot electrons plays an important role. It is shown that the angular distribution of the emitted photons exhibits a four-directional structure with the angle of emission decreasing with the increase of the width of the target. Additionally, a collimated forward flash consisting of high energy photons has been identified in thin targets. The conversion efficiency of the energy of the laser pulse to the energy of the gamma rays rises with both the driving pulse intensity, and the thickness of the target. The amount of gamma rays also increases with the atomic number of the target material, despite a lower absorption of the driving laser pulse. The angular spectrum of the emitted gamma rays is directly related to the increase of hot electron divergence during their refluxing and its measurement can be used in experiments to study this process.

Electron Acceleration and the Propagation of Ultrashort High-Intensity Laser Pulses in Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xiaofang; Krishnan, Mohan; Saleh, Ned; Wang, Haiwen; Umstadter, Donald

2000-01-01

Reported are interactions of high-intensity laser pulses (λ=810 nm and I≤3x10 18 W /cm 2 ) with plasmas in a new parameter regime, in which the pulse duration (τ=29 fs ) corresponds to 0.6-2.6 plasma periods. Relativistic filamentation is observed to cause laser-beam breakup and scattering of the beam out of the vacuum propagation angle. A beam of megaelectronvolt electrons with divergence angle as small as 1 degree sign is generated in the forward direction, which is correlated to the growth of the relativistic filamentation. Raman scattering, however, is found to be much less than previous long-pulse results. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society

Laser-plasma interaction physics for shock ignition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Goyon C.

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In the shock ignition scheme, the ICF target is first compressed with a long (nanosecond pulse before creating a convergent shock with a short (∼100 ps pulse to ignite thermonuclear reactions. This short pulse is typically (∼2.1015–1016 W/cm2 above LPI (Laser Plasma Instabilities thresholds. The plasma is in a regime where the electron temperature is expected to be very high (2–4 keV and the laser coupling to the plasma is not well understood. Emulating LPI in the corona requires large and hot plasmas produced by high-energy lasers. We conducted experiments on the LIL (Ligne d'Integration Laser, 10 kJ at 3ω and the LULI2000 (0.4 kJ at 2ω facilities, to approach these conditions and study absorption and LPI produced by a high intensity beam in preformed plasmas. After introducing the main risks associated with the short pulse propagation, we present the latest experiment we conducted on LPI in relevant conditions for shock ignition.

Experimental Studies of Simultaneous 351 nm and 527 nm Laser Beam Interactions in a Long Scalelength Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moody, J D; Divol, L; Glenzer, S H; MacKinnon, A J; Froula, D H; Gregori, G; Kruer, W L; Suter, L J; Williams, E A; Bahr, R; Seka, W

2003-01-01

We describe experiments investigating the simultaneous backscattering from 351 nm (3w) and 527 nm (2w) interaction beams in a long scalelength laser-produced plasma for intensities (le) 1 x 10 15 W/cm 2 . Measurements show comparable scattering fractions for both color probe beams. Time resolved spectra of stimulated Raman and Brillouin scattering (SRS and SBS) indicate the effects of laser intensity and smoothing as well as plasma composition and parameters on the scattering levels

Generation of shock fronts in the interaction of the short pulses of intense laser light in supercritical plasma; Generacion de frentes de choque en la interaccion de pulsos cortos de luz laser intensa en plasmas supercriticos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez V, V.E

2004-07-01

The plasma is the state of the matter but diffused in the nature. The sun and the stars big heaps of hot plasma can be considered. The external surface of the terrestrial atmosphere this recovered by a layer of plasma. All gassy discharge (lightning spark arch etc.) this related with the formation of plasma. This way, 99 percent of our environment this formed almost of plasma. It is denominated plasma to the ionized gas in the one which all or most of the atoms have lost one or several of the electrons that belonged him, becoming positive ions and free electrons. In the plasma certain physical characteristics exist as for their behavior like they are the collective movements the quasi neutrality, the Debye length, the uncertainty etc. All these behaviors make that the study of the plasma is complex. For this they exist technical of numeric simulation joined to the technological advance of big computers of more capacity and prosecution speed. The simulation techniques of particles are those where a numeric code is built based on a model or theory of a system that it is wanted to investigate. This way through the simulation the results are compared with those theoretical predictions based on an analytic model. The applications of the physics of the plasma are multiple however we focus ourselves in the interaction laser-plasma. Both finish decades of investigation in the interaction of lasers with plasma they have been carried out in laboratories of Europe, Japan, United States. This studies concern the propagation of intense light laser in dense plasma homogeneous, the radiation absorption in cold plasma and problems related with the generation of suprathermal electrons among others. Other areas of the physics of the plasma-laser interaction that it has been considerable attention is the broadly well-known field as parametric uncertainties induced instabilities by the light and that they include the dispersions for example stimulated Raman and Brillouin being able to

Investigation of the interaction of high intensity laser light with solids and hot plasma using X-ray spectroscopic technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zigler, A.

1978-06-01

This work investigates the properties of high power laser-produced plasmas by developing and applying x-ray spectroscopic methods which utilize spatial resolution. The shadow techniques which were developed in this work yield a high spatial resolution of 5-15μm together with an adequate X-ray spectral resolution for single shots of laser power flux of 2.10 13 W/cm -2 . The intensity distribution in the source is calculated from the partial shadow by numerical differentiation. The main advantage of the present method is the ability to obtain spatial information simultaneously for strong and weak spectral lines for a single shot of medium power laser. Plasma parameters were derived from H-like and He-like lines and their inner-shell satellites, which were obtained from Mg, Al and Si targets. Using shadow techniques, the sizes of the emitting regions of the various spectral lines were measured; the spatial variation of the ionization stage, the electron temperature and density were investigated. A constant electron temperature of (250+-50)eV and electron density scale-length of about 50μm were derived for an expanding plasma. An experimental investigation of the possible origin and the mechanisms responsible for the Ksub(α) radiation in laser-produced plasma was carried out. It is shown that the Ksub(α) radiation was generated by fast suprathermal electrons and originated inside the target behind the interaction zone of the shock and heat waves. Energy penetration depth and hot plasma expansion were tested by using multilayer targets, thin foils and achieving a two-dimensional spatially resolved X-ray Al spectrum. (B.G.)

Short wavelength laser-plasma interaction experiments in a spherical geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keck, R.L.

1984-01-01

Short wavelength (250 to 500 nm) lasers should provide reduced fast electron preheat and increased laser-pellet coupling efficiency when used as laser fusion drivers. As part of an ongoing effort to study short wavelength laser plasm interaction, six beams of the 24 beam OMEGA Nd-glass laser system have been converted to operation at the third harmonic. This system is capable of providing in excess of 250 Joules of 351 nm light on spherical targets at intensities up to 2 x 10/sup 15/ W/cm/sup 2/. To date, experiments have been performed to study the uniformity of irradiation, laser absorption, fast electron production and preheat, energy transport within the target and underdense plasma instabilities. Both x-ray continuum measurements and Kα line measurements indicate that the absorption is dominated by inverse bremsstrahlung. Electron energy transport has been studied using x-ray burn-through and charge collector measurements. The results show that with 351 nm irradiation ablation pressures of order 100 Mbars are generated at intensities of 10/sup 15/ W/cm/sup 2/

Dynamics of plasma ions motion in ultra-intense laser-excited plasma wakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Suyun; Li Jing

2013-01-01

The effects of heavy ions and protons motion in an ultra-intense laser-driven plasma wake are compared by rebuilding a plasma wake model. It is shown that with the same laser and plasma background electron density n 0 , the heavy ions' motion suppresses wake-field resonant excitation less than the protons' motion in their own plasma wake. Though heavy ions obtain more kinetic energy from the plasma wake, its energy density is less than that of the protons due to the ion density being far less than the proton density. As a result, the total energy of heavy ions obtained from the wake-field is far less than that of protons. The dependence of the kinetic energy and the energy density of protons and heavy ions on n 0 is discussed. (paper)

Progress of Laser-Driven Plasma Accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Kazuhisa

2007-01-01

There is a great interest worldwide in plasma accelerators driven by ultra-intense lasers which make it possible to generate ultra-high gradient acceleration and high quality particle beams in a much more compact size compared with conventional accelerators. A frontier research on laser and plasma accelerators is focused on high energy electron acceleration and ultra-short X-ray and Tera Hertz radiations as their applications. These achievements will provide not only a wide range of sciences with benefits of a table-top accelerator but also a basic science with a tool of ultrahigh energy accelerators probing an unknown extremely microscopic world.Harnessing the recent advance of ultra-intense ultra-short pulse lasers, the worldwide research has made a tremendous breakthrough in demonstrating high-energy high-quality particle beams in a compact scale, so called ''dream beams on a table top'', which represents monoenergetic electron beams from laser wakefield accelerators and GeV acceleration by capillary plasma-channel laser wakefield accelerators. This lecture reviews recent progress of results on laser-driven plasma based accelerator experiments to quest for particle acceleration physics in intense laser-plasma interactions and to present new outlook for the GeV-range high-energy laser plasma accelerators

Relativistic electron mirrors from high intensity laser nanofoil interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiefer, Daniel

2012-01-01

The reflection of a laser pulse from a mirror moving close to the speed of light could in principle create an X-ray pulse with unprecedented high brightness owing to the increase in photon energy and accompanying temporal compression by a factor of 4γ 2 , where γ is the Lorentz factor of the mirror. While this scheme is theoretically intriguingly simple and was first discussed by A. Einstein more than a century ago, the generation of a relativistic structure which acts as a mirror is demanding in many different aspects. Recently, the interaction of a high intensity laser pulse with a nanometer thin foil has raised great interest as it promises the creation of a dense, attosecond short, relativistic electron bunch capable of forming a mirror structure that scatters counter-propagating light coherently and shifts its frequency to higher photon energies. However, so far, this novel concept has been discussed only in theoretical studies using highly idealized interaction parameters. This thesis investigates the generation of a relativistic electron mirror from a nanometer foil with current state-of-the-art high intensity laser pulses and demonstrates for the first time the reflection from those structures in an experiment. To achieve this result, the electron acceleration from high intensity laser nanometer foil interactions was studied in a series of experiments using three inherently different high power laser systems and free-standing foils as thin as 3nm. A drastic increase in the electron energies was observed when reducing the target thickness from the micrometer to the nanometer scale. Quasi-monoenergetic electron beams were measured for the first time from ultrathin (≤5nm) foils, reaching energies up to ∝35MeV. The acceleration process was studied in simulations well-adapted to the experiments, indicating the transition from plasma to free electron dynamics as the target thickness is reduced to the few nanometer range. The experience gained from those

Investigation of relativistic laser-plasmas using nuclear diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenther, Marc M.

2011-01-01

The present work explores with the development of a novel nuclear diagnostic method for the investigation of the electron dynamics in relativistic laser-plasma interactions. An additional aim of this work was the determination of the real laser peak intensity via the interaction of an intense laser short-pulse with a solid target. The nuclear diagnostics is based on a photo-neutron disintegration nuclear activation method. The main constituent of the nuclear diagnostic are novel pseudoalloic activation targets as a kind of calorimeter to measure the high-energy bremsstrahlung produced by relativistic electrons. The targets are composed of several stable isotopes with different (γ,xn)-reaction thresholds. The activated nuclides were identified via the characteristic gamma-ray decay spectrum by using high-resolution gamma spectroscopy after the laser irradiation. Via the gamma spectroscopy the (γ,xn)-reaction yields were determined. The high-energy bremsstrahlung spectrum has been deconvolved using a novel analysis method based on a modified Penfold-Leiss method. This facilitates the reconstruction of the spectrum of bremsstrahlung photons without any anticipated fit procedures. Furthermore, the characterization of the corresponding bremsstrahlung electrons in the interaction zone is accessible immediately. The consolidated findings about the properties of the relativistic electrons were used to determine the real peak intensity at the laser-plasma interaction zone. In the context of this work, experiments were performed at three different laser facilities. First Experiments were carried out at the 100 TW laser facility at Laboratoire pour l'Utilisation des Lasers Intense (LULI) in France and supplementary at the Vulcan laser facility at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in United Kingdom. The main part of the activation experiments were performed at the PHELIX laser facility (Petawatt High Energy Laser for heavy Ion EXperiments) at GSI-Helmholtzzentrum fuer

Escaping Electrons from Intense Laser-Solid Interactions as a Function of Laser Spot Size

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rusby Dean

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The interaction of a high-intensity laser with a solid target produces an energetic distribution of electrons that pass into the target. These electrons reach the rear surface of the target creating strong electric potentials that act to restrict the further escape of additional electrons. The measurement of the angle, flux and spectra of the electrons that do escape gives insights to the initial interaction. Here, the escaping electrons have been measured using a differentially filtered image plate stack, from interactions with intensities from mid 1020-1017 W/cm2, where the intensity has been reduced by defocussing to increase the size of the focal spot. An increase in electron flux is initially observed as the intensity is reduced from 4x1020 to 6x1018 W/cm2. The temperature of the electron distribution is also measured and found to be relatively constant. 2D particle-in-cell modelling is used to demonstrate the importance of pre-plasma conditions in understanding these observations.

Bremsstrahlung production with high-intensity laser matter interactions and applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Galy, J.; Maucec, M.; Hamilton, D. J.; Edwards, R.; Magill, J.

2007-01-01

In the last decade an evolution of experimental relativistic laser-plasma physics has led to highly sophisticated lasers, which are now able to generate ultra short pulses and can be focused to intensities in excess of 10(21) W cm(-2), with more than 500 J on target. In the intense electric field of

Design of an Experiment to Observe Laser-Plasma Interactions on NIKE

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, L.; Weaver, J.; Manheimer, W.; Zalesak, S.; Schmitt, A.; Fyfe, D.; Afeyan, B.; Charbonneau-Lefort, M.

2007-11-01

Recent proposed designs (Obenschain et al., Phys. Plasmas 13 056320 (2006)) for direct-drive ICF targets for energy applications involve high implosion velocities combined with higher laser irradiances. The use of high irradiances increases the likelihood of deleterious laser plasma instabilities (LPI) that may lead, for example, to the generation of fast electrons. The proposed use of a 248 nm KrF laser to drive these targets is expected to minimize LPI; this is being studied by experiments at NRL's NIKE facility. We used a modification of the FAST code that models laser pulses with arbitrary spatial and temporal profiles to assist in designing these experiments. The goal is to design targets and pulseshapes to create plasma conditions that will produce sufficient growth of LPI to be observable on NIKE. Using, for example, a cryogenic DT target that is heated by a brief pulse and allowed to expand freely before interacting with a second, high-intensity pulse, allows the development of long scalelengths at low electron temperatures and leads to a predicted 20-efold growth in two-plasmon amplitude.

Resonant heating of a cluster plasma by intense laser light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonsen, Thomas M. Jr.; Taguchi, Toshihiro; Gupta, Ayush; Palastro, John; Milchberg, Howard M.

2005-01-01

Gases of atomic clusters are interaction media for laser pulse propagation with properties useful for applications such as extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and x-ray microscopy, harmonic generation, EUV lithography, and laser plasma acceleration. To understand cluster heating and expansion, a series of two- and three-dimensional electrostatic particle in cell simulations of the explosion of argon clusters of diameter in the range 20 nm-53 nm have been preformed. The studies show that heating is dominated by a nonlinear, resonant absorption process that gives rise to a size-dependent intensity threshold for strong absorption and that controls the dielectric properties of the cluster. Electrons are first accelerated out from the cluster and then driven back into it by the combined effects of the laser field and the electrostatic field produced by the laser-driven charge separation. Above the intensity threshold for strong heating there is a dramatic increase in the production of energetic particles and harmonic radiation. The dielectric properties of a gas of clusters are determined by the ensemble average cluster polarizability. Individual electrons contribute to the polarizability differently depending on whether they are in the core of the cluster or in the outer edge. Consequently, there can be large fluctuations in polarizability during the heating of a cluster

Propagation of an intense laser beam in a tapered plasma channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jha, Pallavi; Singh, Ram Gopal; Upadhyaya, Ajay K.; Mishra, Rohit K.

2008-01-01

Propagation characteristics and modulation instability of an intense laser beam propagating in an axially tapered plasma channel, having a parabolic radial density profile, are studied. Using the source-dependent expansion technique, the evolution equation for the laser spot is set up and conditions for propagation of the laser beam with a constant spot size (matched beam) are obtained. Further, the dispersion relation and growth rate of modulation instability of the laser pulse as it propagates through linearly and quadratically tapered plasma channels, have been obtained

Simulations of the interaction of intense petawatt laser pulses with dense Z-pinch plasmas : final report LDRD 39670

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welch, Dale Robert; MacFarlane, Joseph John; Mehlhorn, Thomas Alan; Campbell, Robert B.

2004-01-01

We have studied the feasibility of using the 3D fully electromagnetic implicit hybrid particle code LSP (Large Scale Plasma) to study laser plasma interactions with dense, compressed plasmas like those created with Z, and which might be created with the planned ZR. We have determined that with the proper additional physics and numerical algorithms developed during the LDRD period, LSP was transformed into a unique platform for studying such interactions. Its uniqueness stems from its ability to consider realistic compressed densities and low initial target temperatures (if required), an ability that conventional PIC codes do not possess. Through several test cases, validations, and applications to next generation machines described in this report, we have established the suitability of the code to look at fast ignition issues for ZR, as well as other high-density laser plasma interaction problems relevant to the HEDP program at Sandia (e.g. backlighting)

Laser-plasma based electron acceleration studies planned at CAT, Indore

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naik, P.A.; Gupta, P.D.

2005-01-01

The Laser Plasma Division at the Centre for Advanced Technology is engaged in a variety of R and D activities on laser-plasma interaction with special emphasis on laser-matter interaction at ultra-high intensities. An important aspect of our future work is studies in laser-plasma based acceleration using an elaborate infrastructural set-up of ultra-fast laser and plasma diagnostic systems and recently acquired 10 TW, 50 fs Ti: Sapphire laser system. This paper presents outline of the planned studies in this field. (author)

First laser-plasma interaction and hohlraum experiments on the National Ignition Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dewald, E L; Glenzer, S H; Landen, O L; Suter, L J; Jones, O S; Schein, J; Froula, D; Divol, L; Campbell, K; Schneider, M S; Holder, J; McDonald, J W; Niemann, C; Mackinnon, A J; Hammel, B A [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, PO Box 808, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States)

2005-12-15

Recently the first laser-plasma interaction and hohlraum experiments have been performed at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in support of indirect drive inertial confinement fusion designs. The effects of laser beam smoothing by spectral dispersion and polarization smoothing on the intense (2 x 10{sup 15} W cm{sup -2}) beam propagation in gas-filled tubes has been studied at up to 7 mm plasma scales as found in indirect drive gas filled ignition hohlraum designs. These experiments have shown the expected full propagation without filamentation and beam break up when using full laser smoothing. In addition, vacuum hohlraums have been irradiated with laser powers up to 6 TW, 1-9 ns pulse lengths and energies up to 17 kJ to activate several diagnostics, to study the hohlraum radiation temperature scaling with the laser power and hohlraum size, and to make contact with hohlraum experiments performed at the Nova and Omega laser facilities. Subsequently, novel long laser pulse hohlraum experiments have tested models of hohlraum plasma filling and long pulse hohlraum radiation production. The validity of the plasma filling assessment using in analytical models and radiation hydrodynamics calculations with the code LASNEX has been proven in these studies. The comparison of these results with modelling will be discussed.

Production of ultrahigh ion current densities at skin-layer subrelativistic laser-plasma interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Badziak, J [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Glowacz, S [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Jablonski, S [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Parys, P [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Wolowski, J [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Hora, H [Department of Theoretical Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney (Australia); Krasa, J [Institute of Physics, ASCR, Prague (Czech Republic); Laska, L [Institute of Physics, ASCR, Prague (Czech Republic); Rohlena, K [Institute of Physics, ASCR, Prague (Czech Republic)

2004-12-01

Some applications of fast ions driven by a short ({<=}1 ps) laser pulse (e.g. fast ignition of ICF targets, x-ray laser pumping, laboratory astrophysics research or some nuclear physics experiments) require ion beams of picosecond (or shorter) time durations and of very high ion current densities ({approx}10{sup 10} A cm{sup -2} or higher). A possible way of producing ion beams with such extreme parameters is ballistic focusing of fast ions generated by a target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) mechanism at relativistic laser intensities. In this paper we discuss another method, where the production of short-pulse ion beams of ultrahigh current densities is possible in a planar geometry at subrelativistic laser intensities and at a low energy ({<=}1 J) of the laser pulse. This method-referred to as skin-layer ponderomotive acceleration (S-LPA)-uses strong ponderomotive forces induced at the skin-layer interaction of a short laser pulse with a proper preplasma layer in front of a solid target. The basic features of the high-current ion generation by S-LPA were investigated using a simplified theory, numerical hydrodynamic simulations and measurements. The experiments were performed with subjoule 1 ps laser pulses interacting with massive or thin foil targets at intensities of up to 2 x 10{sup 17} W cm{sup -2}. It was found that both in the backward and forward directions highly collimated high-density ion beams (plasma blocks) with current densities at the ion source (close to the target) approaching 10{sup 10} A cm{sup -2} are produced, in accordance with the theory and numerical calculations. These ion current densities were found to be comparable to (or even higher than) those estimated from recent short-pulse TNSA experiments with relativistic laser intensities. Apart from the simpler physics of the laser-plasma interaction, the advantage of the considered method is the low energy of the driving laser pulses allowing the production of ultrahigh

Laser--plasma interaction in a theta-pinch geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, W.T.

1978-06-01

Prompt stimulated Brillouin scatter (SBS) is studied in an experiment wherein a high power, pulsed CO 2 laser irradiates an independently produced, theta-pinch plasma. SBS does not significantly affect laser heating of the plasma. Measurements of density profiles and temperature histories permitted examination of laser refraction, local heating and net absorption. Refractive containment of the CO 2 laser beam by an on-axis density minimum was observed at early times during the laser pulse. However, refractive containment was lost at late times due to the diffusive loss of the density minimum. Classical modeling of the expected heating required ''bleached'' absorption to account for the observed heating. A plasma absorptivity of approximately 46% was inferred from calorimetry measurements at 250 mtorr fill pressure. These results confirm that classical heating and refraction dominated the laser-plasma interaction

Theoretical studies of some nonlinear laser-plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, B.I.

1975-01-01

The nonlinear coupling of intense, monochromatic, electromagnetic radiation with plasma is considered in a number of special cases. The first part of the thesis serves as an introduction to three-wave interactions. A general formulation of the stimulated scattering of transverse waves by longitudinal modes in a warm, unmagnetized, uniform plasma is constructed. A general dispersion relation is derived that describes Raman and Brillouin scattering, modulational instability, and induced Thomson scattering. Raman scattering (the scattering of a photon into another photon and an electron plasma wave) is investigated as a possible plasma heating scheme. Analytic theory complemented by computer simulation is presented describing the nonlinear mode coupling of laser light with small and large amplitude, resonantly excited electron plasma waves. The simulated scattering of a coherent electromagnetic wave by low frequency density perturbations in homogeneous plasma is discussed. A composite picture of the linear dispersion relations for filamentation and Brillouin scattering is constructed. The absolute instability of Brillouin weak and strong coupling by analytic and numerical means is described

Dependence of high order harmonics intensity on laser focal spot position in preformed plasma plumes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singhal, H.; Ganeev, R.; Naik, P. A.; Arora, V.; Chakravarty, U.; Gupta, P. D.

2008-01-01

The dependence of the high-order harmonic intensity on the laser focal spot position in laser produced plasma plumes is experimentally studied. High order harmonics up to the 59th order (λ∼13.5 nm) were generated by focusing 48 fs laser pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser system in silver plasma plume produced using 300 ps uncompressed laser radiation as the prepulse. The intensity of harmonics nearly vanished when the best focus was located in the plume center, whereas it peaked on either side with unequal intensity. The focal spot position corresponding to the peak harmonic intensity moved away from the plume center for higher order harmonics. The results are explained in terms of the variation of phase mismatch between the driving laser beam and harmonics radiation produced, relativistic drift of electrons, and defocusing effect due to radial ionization gradient in the plasma for different focal spot positions

Relativistic electron mirrors from high intensity laser nanofoil interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiefer, Daniel

2012-12-21

The reflection of a laser pulse from a mirror moving close to the speed of light could in principle create an X-ray pulse with unprecedented high brightness owing to the increase in photon energy and accompanying temporal compression by a factor of 4γ{sup 2}, where γ is the Lorentz factor of the mirror. While this scheme is theoretically intriguingly simple and was first discussed by A. Einstein more than a century ago, the generation of a relativistic structure which acts as a mirror is demanding in many different aspects. Recently, the interaction of a high intensity laser pulse with a nanometer thin foil has raised great interest as it promises the creation of a dense, attosecond short, relativistic electron bunch capable of forming a mirror structure that scatters counter-propagating light coherently and shifts its frequency to higher photon energies. However, so far, this novel concept has been discussed only in theoretical studies using highly idealized interaction parameters. This thesis investigates the generation of a relativistic electron mirror from a nanometer foil with current state-of-the-art high intensity laser pulses and demonstrates for the first time the reflection from those structures in an experiment. To achieve this result, the electron acceleration from high intensity laser nanometer foil interactions was studied in a series of experiments using three inherently different high power laser systems and free-standing foils as thin as 3nm. A drastic increase in the electron energies was observed when reducing the target thickness from the micrometer to the nanometer scale. Quasi-monoenergetic electron beams were measured for the first time from ultrathin (≤5nm) foils, reaching energies up to ∝35MeV. The acceleration process was studied in simulations well-adapted to the experiments, indicating the transition from plasma to free electron dynamics as the target thickness is reduced to the few nanometer range. The experience gained from those

Motion of the plasma critical layer during relativistic-electron laser interaction with immobile and comoving ion plasma for ion acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahai, Aakash A.

2014-01-01

We analyze the motion of the plasma critical layer by two different processes in the relativistic-electron laser-plasma interaction regime (a 0 >1). The differences are highlighted when the critical layer ions are stationary in contrast to when they move with it. Controlling the speed of the plasma critical layer in this regime is essential for creating low-β traveling acceleration structures of sufficient laser-excited potential for laser ion accelerators. In Relativistically Induced Transparency Acceleration (RITA) scheme, the heavy plasma-ions are fixed and only trace-density light-ions are accelerated. The relativistic critical layer and the acceleration structure move longitudinally forward by laser inducing transparency through apparent relativistic increase in electron mass. In the Radiation Pressure Acceleration (RPA) scheme, the whole plasma is longitudinally pushed forward under the action of the laser radiation pressure, possible only when plasma ions co-propagate with the laser front. In RPA, the acceleration structure velocity critically depends upon plasma-ion mass in addition to the laser intensity and plasma density. In RITA, mass of the heavy immobile plasma-ions does not affect the speed of the critical layer. Inertia of the bared immobile ions in RITA excites the charge separation potential, whereas RPA is not possible when ions are stationary

Nuclear Fusion Effects Induced in Intense Laser-Generated Plasmas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorenzo Torrisi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Deutered polyethylene (CD2n thin and thick targets were irradiated in high vacuum by infrared laser pulses at 1015W/cm2 intensity. The high laser energy transferred to the polymer generates plasma, expanding in vacuum at supersonic velocity, accelerating hydrogen and carbon ions. Deuterium ions at kinetic energies above 4 MeV have been measured by using ion collectors and SiC detectors in time-of-flight configuration. At these energies the deuterium–deuterium collisions may induce over threshold fusion effects, in agreement with the high D-D cross-section valuesaround 3 MeV energy. At the first instants of the plasma generation, during which high temperature, density and ionacceleration occur, the D-D fusions occur as confirmed by the detection of mono-energetic protonsand neutrons with a kinetic energy of 3.0 MeV and 2.5 MeV, respectively, produced by the nuclear reaction. The number of fusion events depends strongly on the experimental set-up, i.e. on the laser parameters (intensity, wavelength, focal spot dimension, target conditions (thickness, chemical composition, absorption coefficient, presence of secondary targets and used geometry (incidence angle, laser spot, secondary target positions.A number of D-D fusion events of the order of 106÷7 per laser shot has been measured.

Stimulated Raman backscattering at high laser intensities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skoric, M M [Vinca Inst. of Nuclear Sciences, Belgrade (Yugoslavia); Tajima, Toshiki; Sasaki, Akira; Maluckov, A; Jovanovic, M

1998-03-01

Signatures of Stimulated Raman backscattering of a short-pulse high-intensity laser interacting with an underdense plasma are discussed. We introduce a nonlinear three-wave interaction model that accounts for laser pump depletion and relativistic detuning. A mechanism is revealed based on a generic route to chaos, that predicts a progressive increase of the backscatter complexity with a growing laser intensity. Importance of kinetic effects is outlined and demonstrated in fluid-hybrid and particle simulations. As an application, we show that spectral anomalies of the backscatter, predicted by the above model, are consistent with recent sub-picosecond, high-intensity laser gas-target measurements at Livermore and elsewhere. Finally, a recently proposed scheme for generation of ultra-short, low-prepulse laser pulses by Raman backscattering in a thin foil target, is shown. (author)

Self-resonant wakefield excitation by intense laser pulse in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreev, N.E.; Pogosova, A.A.; Gorbunov, L.M.; Ramazashvili, R.R.; Kirsanov, V.I.

1993-01-01

It is demonstrated by theoretical analysis and numerical calculations that in an underdense plasma the process of three-dimensional evolution of the short and strong laser pulse (with duration equal to several plasma periods) leads to compression and self-modulation of the pulse, so that during a fairly long period of time beats of pulse amplitude generates resonantly a strong and stable plasma wakefield. The intensity of the wake-field is so high that it can provide a new promising outlook for the plasma based accelerator concept. Linear analysis of dispersion relation predicts that taking into account transverse component of wavenumber considerably increases the growth rate of resonance instability of the pulse. The numerical simulations demonstrate that considered self-focusing and resonant-modulation instability are essentially three dimensional processes. Laser field evolution in each transverse cross section of the pulse is synchronized by the regular structure of plasma wave that is excited by the pulse. The considered effect of resonant modulation has a threshold. For the pulses with the intensity below the threshold the refraction dominates and no modulation appears. The studied phenomenon can be referred to as the Self-Resonant Wakefield (SRWF) excitation that is driven by self-focusing and self-modulation of laser pulse with quite a moderate initial duration. In fact, this method of excitation differs from both suggested in Ref.1 (PBWA) and in Refs.2,3 (LWFA), being even more than the combination of these concepts. Unlike the first scheme it does not require initially the two-frequency laser pulse, since the modulation here appears in the most natural way due to evolution of the pulse. In contrast with the LWFA, the considered SRWF generation scheme gives the possibility to raise the intensity of wake-excitation due to pulse self-focusing ( initial stage) and self modulation (second stage)

Laser Interaction and Related Plasma Phenomena: 13th International Conference. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miley, G.H.; Campbell, E.M.; Hogan, W.J.; Maille-Petersen, C.; Coppedge, H.; Montoya, E.

1997-01-01

These proceedings contain papers presented at the Thirteenth International Conference on Laser Interaction and Related Plasma Phenomena held in Monterey, California in April, 1997. Topics covered in the conference included laser design, alternate concepts in volume ignition and advance fuels, beam/plasma interactions, nuclear-pumped lasers, alternate fast ignitors, heavy ion fusions, laser-ion beam interactions, extreme short-pulse interactions, high-energy-density plasma physics, and hydrodynamic instabilities. The conference was sponsored in part by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory of the United States Department of Energy. There were 80 papers presented and 23 have been abstracted for the Energy Science and Technology database

Current new applications of laser plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hauer, A.A.; Forslund, D.W.; McKinstrie, C.J.; Wark, J.S.; Hargis, P.J. Jr.; Hamil, R.A.; Kindel, J.M.

1988-09-01

This report describes several new applications of laser-produced plasmas that have arisen in the last few years. Most of the applications have been an outgrowth of the active research in laser/matter interaction inspired by the pursuit of laser fusion. Unusual characteristics of high-intensity laser/matter interaction, such as intense x-ray and particle emission, were noticed early in the field and are now being employed in a significant variety of applications outside the fusion filed. Applications range from biology to materials science to pulsed-power control and particle accelerators. 92 refs., 23 figs., 4 tabs

Strong field interaction of laser radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pukhov, Alexander

2003-01-01

The Review covers recent progress in laser-matter interaction at intensities above 10 18 W cm -2 . At these intensities electrons swing in the laser pulse with relativistic energies. The laser electric field is already much stronger than the atomic fields, and any material is instantaneously ionized, creating plasma. The physics of relativistic laser-plasma is highly non-linear and kinetic. The best numerical tools applicable here are particle-in-cell (PIC) codes, which provide the most fundamental plasma model as an ensemble of charged particles. The three-dimensional (3D) PIC code Virtual Laser-Plasma Laboratory runs on a massively parallel computer tracking trajectories of up to 10 9 particles simultaneously. This allows one to simulate real laser-plasma experiments for the first time. When the relativistically intense laser pulses propagate through plasma, a bunch of new physical effects appears. The laser pulses are subject to relativistic self-channelling and filamentation. The gigabar ponderomotive pressure of the laser pulse drives strong currents of plasma electrons in the laser propagation direction; these currents reach the Alfven limit and generate 100 MG quasistatic magnetic fields. These magnetic fields, in turn, lead to the mutual filament attraction and super-channel formation. The electrons in the channels are accelerated up to gigaelectronvolt energies and the ions gain multi-MeV energies. We discuss different mechanisms of particle acceleration and compare numerical simulations with experimental data. One of the very important applications of the relativistically strong laser beams is the fast ignition (FI) concept for the inertial fusion energy (IFE). Petawatt-class lasers may provide enough energy to isochorically ignite a pre-compressed target consisting of thermonuclear fuel. The FI approach would ease dramatically the constraints on the implosion symmetry and improve the energy gain. However, there is a set of problems to solve before the FI

High-intensity laser physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohideen, U.

1993-01-01

This thesis is a study of the effect of high intensity lasers on atoms, free electrons and the generation of X-rays from solid density plasmas. The laser produced 50 milli Joule 180 femto sec pulses at 5 Hz. This translates to a maximum intensity of 5 x 10 18 W/cm 2 . At such high fields the AC stark shifts of atoms placed at the focus is much greater than the ionization energy. The characteristics of multiphoton ionization of atoms in intense laser fields was studied by angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. Free electrons placed in high intensity laser fields lead to harmonic generation. This phenomenon of Nonlinear Compton Scattering was theoretically investigated. Also, when these high intensity pulses are focused on solids a hot plasma is created. This plasma is a bright source of a short X-ray pulse. The pulse-width of X-rays from these solid density plasmas was measured by time-resolved X-ray spectroscopy

Particle-in-cell modeling of laser Thomson scattering in low-density plasmas at elevated laser intensities

Science.gov (United States)

Powis, Andrew T.; Shneider, Mikhail N.

2018-05-01

Incoherent Thomson scattering is a non-intrusive technique commonly used for measuring local plasma density. Within low-density, low-temperature plasmas and for sufficient laser intensity, the laser may perturb the local electron density via the ponderomotive force, causing the diagnostic to become intrusive and leading to erroneous results. A theoretical model for this effect is validated numerically via kinetic simulations of a quasi-neutral plasma using the particle-in-cell technique.

Propagation of intense laser pulses in an underdense plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monot, P.; Auguste, T.; Gibbon, P.; Jakober, F.; Mainfray, G.

1994-01-01

Experiments carried out with a laser beam focused into a vacuum chamber onto a 3-mm long, pulsed hydrogen jet, at powers close to the critical power required for relativistic self focusing, have shown that an underdense plasma is able to significantly reduce the divergence of an intense laser pulse. The propagation mode is in good agreement with theoretical predictions of relativistic self focusing. 2 figs., 8 refs

Multi-scale description of the laser-plasma interaction: application to the physics of shock ignition in inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colaitis, Arnaud

2015-01-01

This manuscript presents a novel formulation of the Laser-Plasma Interaction (LPI) at hydrodynamical scales, that couples the plasma dynamics with linear and nonlinear LPI processes. The standard Ray Tracing model, based on Geometrical Optics, is not well suited for that purpose because it does not readily describe the laser intensity distribution in plasma. We propose an alternative model formulated for a Lagrangian hydrodynamic code. It is based on the ray-based Paraxial Complex Geometrical Optics (PCGO) that describes Gaussian optical beamlets. A method for modeling non-Gaussian laser beams smoothed by Phase Plates is presented, that allows to create intensity variations that reproduce the beam envelope, contrast and high-intensity statistics predicted by paraxial laser propagation codes. We propose in line reduced models for the non-linear laser-plasma interaction, in the case of the Cross-Beam Energy Transfer (CBET) and the generation of Hot Electrons (HE). The in line CBET model is validated against a time-dependent conventional paraxial electromagnetic wave propagation code, in a well-defined plasma configuration with density and velocity profiles corresponding to an inhomogeneous plasma. Good agreement is found past a transient period on the picosecond time scale, notably for the spatial distribution of density perturbations and laser intensities in the interaction region. Application of the model to a direct-drive Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) configuration shows that CBET significantly degrades the irradiation symmetry by amplifying low frequency modes and reducing the laser-capsule coupling efficiency, ultimately leading to large modulations of the shell areal density and lower convergence ratios. The LPI/HE model predicts the HE fluxes, temperatures, angular dispersion and direction from the laser intensity of PCGO beamlets from simplified expressions based on theoretical models and scaling laws obtained in kinetic simulations. The HE beams

Specular Reflectivity and Hot-Electron Generation in High-Contrast Relativistic Laser-Plasma Interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kemp, Gregory Elijah [The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)

2013-01-01

Ultra-intense laser (> 1018 W/cm2) interactions with matter are capable of producing relativistic electrons which have a variety of applications in state-of-the-art scientific and medical research conducted at universities and national laboratories across the world. Control of various aspects of these hot-electron distributions is highly desired to optimize a particular outcome. Hot-electron generation in low-contrast interactions, where significant amounts of under-dense pre-plasma are present, can be plagued by highly non-linear relativistic laser-plasma instabilities and quasi-static magnetic field generation, often resulting in less than desirable and predictable electron source characteristics. High-contrast interactions offer more controlled interactions but often at the cost of overall lower coupling and increased sensitivity to initial target conditions. An experiment studying the differences in hot-electron generation between high and low-contrast pulse interactions with solid density targets was performed on the Titan laser platform at the Jupiter Laser Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, CA. To date, these hot-electrons generated in the laboratory are not directly observable at the source of the interaction. Instead, indirect studies are performed using state-of-the-art simulations, constrained by the various experimental measurements. These measurements, more-often-than-not, rely on secondary processes generated by the transport of these electrons through the solid density materials which can susceptible to a variety instabilities and target material/geometry effects. Although often neglected in these types of studies, the specularly reflected light can provide invaluable insight as it is directly influenced by the interaction. In this thesis, I address the use of (personally obtained) experimental specular reflectivity measurements to indirectly study hot-electron generation in the context of high-contrast, relativistic

Laser-plasma interaction physics in the context of fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labaune, C.; Fuchs, J.; Depierreux, S.; Tikhonchuk, V.T.; Baldis, H.A.; Pesme, D.; Myatt, J.; Huller, S.; Laval, G.; Tikhonchuk, V.T.

2000-01-01

Of vital importance for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) are the understanding and control of the nonlinear processes which can occur during the propagation of the laser pulses through the underdense plasma surrounding the fusion capsule. The control of parametric instabilities has been studied experimentally, using LULI six-beam laser facility, and also theoretically and numerically. New results based on the direct observation of plasma waves with Thomson scattering of a short wavelength probe beam have revealed the occurrence of the Langmuir decay instability. This secondary instability may play an important role in the saturation of stimulated Raman scattering. Another mechanism for inducing the growth of the scattering instabilities is the so-called 'plasma-induced incoherence'. Namely, recent theoretical studies have shown that the propagation of laser beams through the underdense plasma can increase their spatial and temporal incoherence. This plasma-induced beam smoothing can reduce the levels of parametric instabilities. One signature of this process is a large increase of the spectral width of the laser light after propagation through the plasma. Comparison of the experimental results with numerical propagation through the plasma. Comparison of the experimental results with numerical simulations shows an excellent agreement between the observed and calculated time-resolved spectra of the transmitted laser light at various laser intensities. (authors)

Analysis of plasma channels in mm-scale plasmas formed by high intensity laser beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, R; Habara, H; Iwawaki, T; Uematsu, Y; Tanaka, K A; Ivancic, S; Anderson, K; Haberberger, D; Stoeckl, C; Theobald, W; Sakagami, H

2016-01-01

A plasma channel created by a high intensity infrared laser beam was observed in a long scale-length plasma (L ∼ 240 μm) with the angular filter refractometry technique, which indicated a stable channel formation up to the critical density. We analyzed the observed plasma channel using a rigorous ray-tracing technique, which provides a deep understanding of the evolution of the channel formation. (paper)

Study of laser plasma interactions in the relativistic regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umstadter, D.

1997-01-01

We discuss the first experimental demonstration of electron acceleration by a laser wakefield over instances greater than a Rayleigh range (or the distance a laser normally propagates in vacuum). A self-modulated laser wakefield plasma wave is shown to have a field gradient that exceeds that of an RF linac by four orders of magnitude (E => 200 GV/m) and accelerates electrons with over 1-nC of charge per bunch in a beam with space-charge-limited emittance (1 mm-mrad). Above a laser power threshold, a plasma channel, created by the intense ultrashort laser pulse (I approx. 4 x1018 W/CM2, gamma = 1 micron, r = 400 fs), was found to increase the laser propagation distance, decrease the electron beam divergence, and increase the electron energy. The plasma wave, directly measured with coherent Thomson scattering is shown to damp-due to beam loading-in a duration of 1.5 ps or approx. 100 plasma periods. These results may have important implications for the proposed fast ignitor concept

A study of fast electron energy transport in relativistically intense laser-plasma interactions with large density scalelengths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scott, R. H. H.; Norreys, P. A. [Department of Physics, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford OX11 0QX (United Kingdom); Perez, F.; Baton, S. D. [LULI, Ecole Polytechnique, UMR 7605, CNRS/CEA/UPMC, Route de Saclay, 91128 Palaiseau (France); Santos, J. J.; Nicolai, Ph.; Hulin, S. [Univ. Bordeaux/CNRS/CEA, CELIA, UMR 5107, 33405 Talence (France); Ridgers, C. P. [Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU (United Kingdom); Department of Physics, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Davies, J. R. [GoLP, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusao Nuclear - Laboratorio Associado, Instituto Superior Tecnico, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Lancaster, K. L.; Trines, R. M. G. M. [Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford OX11 0QX (United Kingdom); Bell, A. R.; Tzoufras, M. [Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU (United Kingdom); Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford OX11 0QX (United Kingdom); Rose, S. J. [Department of Physics, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

2012-05-15

A systematic experimental and computational investigation of the effects of three well characterized density scalelengths on fast electron energy transport in ultra-intense laser-solid interactions has been performed. Experimental evidence is presented which shows that, when the density scalelength is sufficiently large, the fast electron beam entering the solid-density plasma is best described by two distinct populations: those accelerated within the coronal plasma (the fast electron pre-beam) and those accelerated near or at the critical density surface (the fast electron main-beam). The former has considerably lower divergence and higher temperature than that of the main-beam with a half-angle of {approx}20 Degree-Sign . It contains up to 30% of the total fast electron energy absorbed into the target. The number, kinetic energy, and total energy of the fast electrons in the pre-beam are increased by an increase in density scalelength. With larger density scalelengths, the fast electrons heat a smaller cross sectional area of the target, causing the thinnest targets to reach significantly higher rear surface temperatures. Modelling indicates that the enhanced fast electron pre-beam associated with the large density scalelength interaction generates a magnetic field within the target of sufficient magnitude to partially collimate the subsequent, more divergent, fast electron main-beam.

Calculating the radiation characteristics of accelerated electrons in laser-plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, X. F.; Yu, Q.; Qu, J. F.; Kong, Q.; Gu, Y. J.; Ma, Y. Y.; Kawata, S.

2016-01-01

In this paper, we studied the characteristics of radiation emitted by electrons accelerated in a laser–plasma interaction by using the Lienard–Wiechert field. In the interaction of a laser pulse with a underdense plasma, electrons are accelerated by two mechanisms: direct laser acceleration (DLA) and laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). At the beginning of the process, the DLA electrons emit most of the radiation, and the DLA electrons emit a much higher peak photon energy than the LWFA electrons. As the laser–plasma interaction progresses, the LWFA electrons become the major radiation emitter; however, even at this stage, the contribution from DLA electrons is significant, especially to the peak photon energy.

Simulation of intense laser-dense matter interactions. X-ray production and laser absorption

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ueshima, Yutaka; Kishimoto, Yasuaki; Sasaki, Akira [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Neyagawa, Osaka (Japan). Kansai Research Establishment; Sentoku, Yasuhiko; Tajima, Toshiki

1998-03-01

The development of short-pulse ultra high intensity lasers will enable us to generate short-pulse intense soft and hard X-rays. Acceleration of an electron in laser field generates intense illuminated located radiation, Larmor radiation, around KeV at 10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2} with 100 TW and 1 {mu}m wave length laser. The Coulomb interaction between rest ions and relativistic electron generates broad energy radiation, bremsstrahlung emission, over MeV at 10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2} with the same condition. These intense radiations come in short pulses of the same order as that of the irradiated laser. The generated intense X-rays, Larmor and bremsstrahlung radiation, can be applied to sources of short pulse X-ray, excitation source of inner-shell X-ray laser, position production and nuclear excitation, etc. (author)

EFFECTS OF LASER RADIATION ON MATTER. LASER PLASMA: Thresholds of surface plasma formation by the interaction of laser pulses with a metal

Science.gov (United States)

Borets-Pervak, I. Yu; Vorob'ev, V. S.

1995-04-01

An analysis is made of a model of the formation of a surface laser plasma which takes account of the heating and vaporisation of thermally insulated surface microdefects. This model is used in an interpretation of experiments in which such a plasma has been formed by irradiation of a titanium target with microsecond CO2 laser pulses. A comparison with the experimental breakdown intensities is used to calculate the average sizes of microdefects and their concentration: the results are in agreement with the published data. The dependence of the delay time of plasma formation on the total energy in a laser pulse is calculated.

Intensity and shape of spectral lines from laser-produced plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jamelot, G; Jaegle, P; Carillon, A; Wehenkel, C [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 91 - Orsay (France); Paris-11 Univ., 91 - Orsay (France); Ecole Polytechnique, 91 - Palaiseau (France))

1979-01-01

In starting from spectral studies of multicharged ions in dense laser-produced plasmas, the main processes which determine the intensity and the shape of lines in the X-UV range are described. The role of radiation transfer is underlined. Intensity anomalies resulting from occurrence of population inversions are considered and a recent experiment performed for investigating such anomalies is described.

Picosecond streak camera diagnostics of CO2 laser-produced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaanimagi, P.A.; Marjoribanks, R.S.; Sancton, R.W.; Enright, G.D.; Richardson, M.C.

1979-01-01

The interaction of intense laser radiation with solid targets is currently of considerable interest in laser fusion studies. Its understanding requires temporal knowledge of both laser and plasma parameters on a picosecond time scale. In this paper we describe the progress we have recently made in analysing, with picosecond time resolution, various features of intense nanosecond CO 2 laser pulse interaction experiments. An infrared upconversion scheme, having linear response and <20 ps temporal resolution, has been utilized to characterise the 10 μm laser pulse. Various features of the interaction have been studied with the aid of picosecond IR and x-ray streak cameras. These include the temporal and spatial characteristics of high harmonic emission from the plasma, and the temporal development of the x-ray continuum spectrum. (author)

High intensity surface plasma waves, theory and PIC simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Raynaud, M.; Héron, A.; Adam, J.-C.

2018-01-01

With the development of intense (>1019 W cm-2) short pulses (≤25 fs) laser with very high contrast, surface plasma wave (SPW) can be explored in the relativistic regime. As the SPW propagates with a phase velocity close to the speed of light it may results in a strong acceleration of electron bunches along the surface permitting them to reach relativistic energies. This may be important e.g. for applications in the field of plasma-based accelerators. We investigate in this work the excitation of SPWs on grating preformed over-dense plasmas for laser intensities ranging from 1019 up to 1021 W cm-2. We discuss the nature of the interaction with respect to the solid case in which surface plasmon can be resonantly excited with weak laser intensity. In particular, we show the importance of the pulse duration and focalization of the laser beam on the amplitude of the SPW.

Particle sources with high-intensity lasers: a tool for plasma diagnostics and an innovative source for applications; Sources de particules avec des lasers de haute intensite: un outil pour les diagnostics plasma et une source innovante pour les applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fritzler, S

2003-09-15

This work is an experimental study on particle generation with high-intensity lasers. This document is divided into 4 parts, whereas the first is dedicated to theoretical basics of particle generation and acceleration mechanisms during relativistic laser plasma interactions, the 3 other parts cover experimental studies on neutron, electron as well as proton generation. In the first part basic laser and plasma characteristics will be introduced as well as physical processes of interest during the interaction of a relativistic high-intensity laser with an underdense / overdense plasma. In the second part we introduce methodological basics of neutron generation by D(d,n)He{sup 3} reactions since this can reveal information about ion kinetics and possible ion heating mechanisms in plasmas. Subsequently the set-up for this experiment, pursued in the underdense regime, will be described in detail. The experimental results will be discussed for the gas jet interaction as well as for the beam target model since it was deduced that plasma ions are heated during the interaction to fusion temperatures of about 1 keV. The third part describes the generation of an electron beam with an energy up to 200 MeV in a new regime termed 'forced laser Wakefield'. Here, the presented experimental results were for the first time fully explained and even extended by the numerical modelling of this interaction in terms of energy, yield, angular divergence, emittance as well as bunch length of this electron beam. In the last part we present a 10 MeV proton beam generation using foil targets and a 10 Hz laser. Again the kinematic simulation of this experiment is in agreement with the experimental results by means of yield and angular divergence.

Progress in ultrafast intense laser science XII

CERN Document Server

Roso, Luis; Li, Ruxin; Mathur, Deepak; Normand, Didier

2015-01-01

This  volume covers a broad range of topics focusing on atoms, molecules, and clusters interacting in intense laser field, laser induced filamentation, and laser plasma interaction and application. The PUILS series delivers up-to-date reviews of progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science, a newly emerging interdisciplinary research field spanning atomic and molecular physics, molecular science, and optical science, which has been stimulated by the recent developments in ultrafast laser technologies. Each volume compiles peer-reviewed articles authored by researchers at the forefront of each their own subfields of UILS. Every chapter opens with an overview of the topics to be discussed, so that researchers unfamiliar to the subfield, as well as graduate students, can grasp the importance and attractions of the research topic at hand; these are followed by reports of cutting-edge discoveries. .

Annual Scientific Report for DE-FG03-02NA00063 Coherent imaging of laser-plasma interactions using XUV high harmonic radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henry C. Kapteyn

2005-01-01

In this project, we use coherent short-wavelength light generated using high-order harmonic generation as a probe of laser-plasma dynamics and phase transitions on femtosecond time-scales. The interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with materials and plasmas is relevant to stockpile stewardship, to understanding the equation of state of matter at high pressures and temperatures, and to plasma concepts such as the fast-ignitor ICF fusion concept and laser-based particle acceleration. Femtosecond laser technology makes it possible to use a small-scale setup to generate 20fs pulses with average power >10W at multiple kHz repetition rates, that can be focused to intensities in excess of 1017W/cm2. These lasers can be used either to rapidly heat materials to initiate phase transitions, or to create laser plasmas over a wide parameter space. These lasers can also be used to generate fully spatially coherent XUV beams with which to probe these materials and plasma systems. We are in process of implementing imaging studies of plasma hydrodynamics and warm, dense matter. The data will be compared with simulation codes of laser-plasma interactions, making it possible to refine and validate these codes

Laser beam-plasma plume interaction during laser welding

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Jacek; Moscicki, Tomasz; Szymanski, Zygmunt

2003-10-01

Laser welding process is unstable because the keyhole wall performs oscillations which results in the oscillations of plasma plume over the keyhole mouth. The characteristic frequencies are equal to 0.5-4 kHz. Since plasma plume absorbs and refracts laser radiation, plasma oscillations modulate the laser beam before it reaches the workpiece. In this work temporary electron densities and temperatures are determined in the peaks of plasma bursts during welding with a continuous wave CO2 laser. It has been found that during strong bursts the plasma plume over the keyhole consists of metal vapour only, being not diluted by the shielding gas. As expected the values of electron density are about two times higher in peaks than their time-averaged values. Since the plasma absorption coefficient scales as ~N2e/T3/2 (for CO2 laser radiation) the results show that the power of the laser beam reaching the metal surface is modulated by the plasma plume oscillations. The attenuation factor equals 4-6% of the laser power but it is expected that it is doubled by the refraction effect. The results, together with the analysis of the colour pictures from streak camera, allow also interpretation of the dynamics of the plasma plume.

7. Lasers and plasmas forum - ILP 2015 Forum. Book of abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora, P.; Le Marec, A.; Ferri, S.; Corde, S.; Ceccotti, T.; Dozieres, M.; Pariente, G.; Azamoum, Y.; Cheriaux, G.; Baccou, C.; Romagnani, L.; Ravasio, A.; Masson-Laborde, P.E.; Laffite, S.; Neuville, C.; Casner, A.; Debayle, A.; Lobet, M.; Cosse, P.; Falize, E.; Taieb, R.; Rozmus, W.; Colaitis, A.; Boutoux, G.; Llor Aisa, E.; Ducret, J.E.; Le Pennec, M.; Barbrel, B.; Rouan, D.; Smets, R.; Seisson, G.; Boyer, S.; Massacrier, G.; Harmand, M.; Jacquemot, S.; Adam, J.C.; Boutoux, G.; Busquet, M.; Bychenkov, V. Yu.; Castan, A.; Chatagnier, A.; Chiaramello, M.; Debayle, A.; Deschaud, Basil; Do, A.; Fedeli, L.; Ferri, J.; Gangolf, T.; Gilles, D.; Vallet, A.; D'Humieres, E.; Khiar, B.; Grassi, A.; Hadj-Bachir, M.; Lee, P.; Lobet, M.; Loiseau, P.; Maitrallain, A.; Masson-Laborde, P.E.; Mollica, F.; Moreau, J.G.; Nicolas, Loic; Pain, J.-C.; Penninckx, D.; Riconda, C.; Ruyer, C.; Soleilhac, A.; Van Box Som, L.

2015-06-01

List of oral presentation abstracts: Effect of XUV lasers partial coherence on the characterization of their spectral properties; Study of ionization potential lowering and other statistical properties of coupled plasmas using numerical simulation and classical molecular dynamics; Plasma acceleration by particle beam; Electron acceleration by surface wave resonant excitation in relativistic regime; Optimization of a laser-generated X Ka source (Ti:Sa 10 TW - 100 Hz); Apollon 10 PW: description and status; The future of the research federation and of power laser facilities; Inertial confinement fusion and operation of 'rugby'-shape hohlraums; Chronometry and efficiency of direct attack implosion at OMEGA facility; Laser-plasma interaction physics in beam crossing configuration; NIF Discovery Science experiments for the study of the strongly nonlinear regime of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability; X opacity measurements in mid-Z dense plasmas with a new target design of indirect heating; Photoionization dynamics: Transition and scattering delays; Ion acceleration induced by laser-produced electrostatic shocks; Electron Transport and Related Non-equilibrium Distribution Functions in Hot Large Scale ICF Plasmas; Rate optimization of neutron-less fusion reactions initiated by laser-accelerated protons; Nonlinear laser-plasma interactions modeling at hydrodynamic scales: application to beam crossing energy exchange; Evolution of a Sedov-Taylor blast-wave: radiative, nonlocal heat transport and field effects; Measuring ultra-intense laser beams in space time; A few applications of the radiative and quantum electrodynamics effects in future extreme-intensity laser-matter experiments; X-rays imaging diagnostics for PETAL; Laboratory Astrophysics with High Power Lasers; Femto-second electron dynamics in the Warm dense Matter; The extra-solar planets; Study of HEDP magnetic reconnection; Opacity of solar-type stars inside: what (un)certainties?; Validation of solar

Applications of super - high intensity lasers in nuclear engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salomaa, R.; Hakola, A.; Santala, M.

2007-01-01

Laser-plasma interactions arising when a super intense ultrashort laser pulse impinges a solid target creates intense partly collimated and energy resolved photons, high energy electron and protons and neutrons. In addition the plasma plume can generate huge magnetic and electric fields. Also ultra short X-ray pulses are created. We have participated in some of such experiments at Rutherford and Max-Planck Institute and assessed the applications of such kind as laser-driven accelerators. This paper discusses applications in nuclear engineering (neutron sources, isotope separation, fast ignition and transmutation, etc). In particular the potential for extreme time resolution and to partial energy resolution are assessed

Fast ions and hot electrons in the laser--plasma interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gitomer, S.J.; Jones, R.D.; Begay, F.; Ehler, A.W.; Kephart, J.F.; Kristal, R.

1986-01-01

Data on the emission of energetic ions produced in laser--matter interactions have been analyzed for a wide variety of laser wavelengths, energies, and pulse lengths. Strong correlation has been found between the bulk energy per AMU for fast ions measured by charge cups and the x-ray-determined hot electron temperature. Five theoretical models have been used to explain this correlation. The models include (1) a steady-state spherically symmetric fluid model with classical electron heat conduction, (2) a steady-state spherically symmetric fluid model with flux limited electron heat conduction, (3) a simple analytic model of an isothermal rarefaction followed by a free expansion, (4) the lasneX hydrodynamics code [Comments Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 2, 85 (1975)], calculations employing a spherical expansion and simple initial conditions, and (5) the lasneX code with its full array of absorption, transport, and emission physics. The results obtained with these models are in good agreement with the experiments and indicate that the detailed shape of the correlation curve between mean fast ion energy and hot electron temperature is due to target surface impurities at the higher temperatures (higher laser intensities) and to the expansion of bulk target material at the lower temperatures (lower laser intensities)

Study of plasmas created by X-ray laser-matter interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galtier, E.

2010-11-01

This thesis took advantage of the emerging newly developed 4. generation sources of light, namely the free electron lasers, to create and characterize a state of matter under extreme conditions which is still obscure: the warm dense matter (WDM). WDM is found in giant planets and is also produced in inertial fusion. An experiment allowed to study the transitions between the different phases, solid/WDM/plasma, and characterize the mechanism responsible for the equilibration. The laser pulse FLASH, of duration and energy equal to about 20 femto-seconds and 30 μJ respectively, is micro-focussed on a solid target producing an isochoric heating. The intensity, greater than 10 16 W.cm -2 , has never been reached in such an experimental context so far. Emission spectra from an aluminium plasma are studied with a code coupling a genetic algorithm and a code of atomic physics, in order to interpret the whole temporal evolution of the XUV laser-matter interaction for the first time, despite the time integration of the experimental spectra. The first experimental proof of the important contribution of the Auger effect in the isochoric heating of an aluminium target is established. The first observation of the X-ray emission of a boron nitride target under extreme conditions has been investigated by a preliminary study. Additionally, the effect of hot electrons on the electron population distribution in the energy levels of the ions is analysed and shows an important similarity with the photo-ionization process occurring in XUV/X-ray laser-matter interaction. (author)

3d particle simulations on ultra short laser interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishihara, Katsunobu; Okamoto, Takashi; Yasui, Hidekazu [Osaka Univ., Suita (Japan). Inst. of Laser Engineering

1998-03-01

Two topics related to ultra short laser interaction with matter, linear and nonlinear high frequency conductivity of a solid density hydrogen plasma and anisotropic self-focusing of an intense laser in an overdense plasma, have been investigated with the use of 3-d particle codes. Frequency dependence of linear conductivity in a dense plasma is obtained, which shows anomalous conductivity near plasma frequency. Since nonlinear conductivity decreases with v{sub o}{sup -3}, where v{sub o} is a quivering velocity, an optimum amplitude exists leading to a maximum electron heating. Anisotropic self-focusing of a linear polarized intense laser is observed in an overdense plasma. (author)

Analysis of processes participating during intense iodine-laser-beam interactions with laser-produced plasmas

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Láska, Leoš; Badziak, J.; Jungwirth, Karel; Kalal, M.; Krása, Josef; Krouský, Eduard; Kubeš, P.; Margarone, Daniele; Parys, P.; Pfeifer, Miroslav; Rohlena, Karel; Rosinski, M.; Ryč, L.; Skála, Jiří; Torrisi, L.; Ullschmied, Jiří; Velyhan, Andriy; Wolowski, J.

2010-01-01

Roč. 165, 6-10 (2010), s. 463-471 ISSN 1042-0150 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC528; GA AV ČR IAA100100715 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 228334 - LASERLAB-EUROPE Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100523; CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : laser plasma * non-linear processes * magnetic self-focusing * pinching Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 0.660, year: 2010

Measurement Of Ultrafast Ionisation From Intense Laser Interactions With Gas-Jets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gizzi, Leonida A.; Galimberti, Marco; Giulietti, Antonio; Giulietti, Danilo; Koester, Petra; Labate, Luca; Tomassini, Paolo; Martin, Philippe; Ceccotti, Tiberio; De Oliveira, Pascal; Monot, Pascal

2006-01-01

Interaction of an intense, ultrashort laser pulse with a gas-jet target is investigated through femtosecond optical interferometry to study the dynamics of ionization of the gas. Experimental results are presented in which the propagation of the pulse in the gas and the consequent plasma formation is followed step by step with high temporal and spatial resolution. We demonstrate that, combining the phase shift with the measurable depletion of fringe visibility associated with the transient change of refractive index in the ionizing region and taking into account probe travel time can provide direct information on gas ionization dynamics

Space-Time Characterization of Laser Plasma Interactions in the Warm Dense Matter Regime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, L F; Uschmann, I; Forster, E; Zamponi, F; Kampfer, T; Fuhrmann, A; Holl, A; Redmer, R; Toleikis, S; Tschentsher, T; Glenzer, S H

2008-04-30

Laser plasma interaction experiments have been performed using a fs Titanium Sapphire laser. Plasmas have been generated from planar PMMA targets using single laser pulses with 3.3 mJ pulse energy, 50 fs pulse duration at 800 nm wavelength. The electron density distributions of the plasmas in different delay times have been characterized by means of Nomarski Interferometry. Experimental data were compared with hydrodynamic simulation. First results to characterize the plasma density and temperature as a function of space and time are obtained. This work aims to generate plasmas in the warm dense matter (WDM) regime at near solid-density in an ultra-fast laser target interaction process. Plasmas under these conditions can serve as targets to develop x-ray Thomson scattering as a plasma diagnostic tool, e.g., using the VUV free-electron laser (FLASH) at DESY Hamburg.

Simultaneous streak and frame interferometry for electron density measurements of laser produced plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quevedo, H. J., E-mail: hjquevedo@utexas.edu; McCormick, M.; Wisher, M.; Bengtson, Roger D.; Ditmire, T. [Center for High Energy Density Science, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

2016-01-15

A system of two collinear probe beams with different wavelengths and pulse durations was used to capture simultaneously snapshot interferograms and streaked interferograms of laser produced plasmas. The snapshots measured the two dimensional, path-integrated, electron density on a charge-coupled device while the radial temporal evolution of a one dimensional plasma slice was recorded by a streak camera. This dual-probe combination allowed us to select plasmas that were uniform and axisymmetric along the laser direction suitable for retrieving the continuous evolution of the radial electron density of homogeneous plasmas. Demonstration of this double probe system was done by measuring rapidly evolving plasmas on time scales less than 1 ns produced by the interaction of femtosecond, high intensity, laser pulses with argon gas clusters. Experiments aimed at studying homogeneous plasmas from high intensity laser-gas or laser-cluster interaction could benefit from the use of this probing scheme.

High-intensity subpicosecond laser pulse propagation in a 1-cm capillary tube and fast ignitor experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malka, G.; Courtois, C.; Cros, B.; Matthieussent, G.; Borghesi, M.; Gaillard, R.; Mackinnon, A.J.; Willi, O.; Danson, C.; Neely, D.; Altenberd, D.; Feurer, T.; Forster, E.; Gibbon, P.; Sauerbray, R.; Teubner, U.; Theobald, W.; Uschmann, I.; Amiranoff, F.; Baton, S.; Gremillet, L.; Fuchs, J.; Marques, J.R.; Gallant, P.; Kieffer, J.C.; Pepin, H.; Adam, J.C.; Heron, A.; Laval, G.; Mora, P.

2000-01-01

We present an abstract of ultra short and intense laser plasma interaction experiments which were performed with the 100 TW P102 laser facility at CEA/Limeil-Valenton. Laser interaction at relativistic regime (I>10 18 W/cm 2 ) has been investigated with different 'targets': overdense plasma, underdense plasma, free electrons and capillary tube. These experiments are of great interests for the Fast Ignitor concept and the Laser Particle Accelerator. (authors)

The effect of quantum correction on plasma electron heating in ultraviolet laser interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zare, S.; Sadighi-Bonabi, R., E-mail: Sadighi@sharif.ir; Anvari, A. [Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11365-9567, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Yazdani, E. [Department of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Hora, H. [Department of Theoretical Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052 (Australia)

2015-04-14

The interaction of the sub-picosecond UV laser in sub-relativistic intensities with deuterium is investigated. At high plasma temperatures, based on the quantum correction in the collision frequency, the electron heating and the ion block generation in plasma are studied. It is found that due to the quantum correction, the electron heating increases considerably and the electron temperature uniformly reaches up to the maximum value of 4.91 × 10{sup 7 }K. Considering the quantum correction, the electron temperature at the laser initial coupling stage is improved more than 66.55% of the amount achieved in the classical model. As a consequence, by the modified collision frequency, the ion block is accelerated quicker with higher maximum velocity in comparison with the one by the classical collision frequency. This study proves the necessity of considering a quantum mechanical correction in the collision frequency at high plasma temperatures.

Electron Parametric Instabilities Driven by Relativistically Intense Laser Light in Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Barr, H. C.; Mason, P.; Parr, D. M.

1999-08-01

A unified treatment of electron parametric instabilities driven by ultraintense laser light in plasma is described. It is valid for any intensity, polarization, plasma density, and scattering geometry. The method is applied to linearly polarized light in both underdense plasma and overdense plasma accessible by self-induced transparency. New options arise which are hybrids of stimulated Raman scattering, the two plasmon decay, the relativistic modulational and filamentation instabilities, and stimulated harmonic generation. There is vigorous growth over a wide range of wave numbers and harmonics.

Controlling Laser Plasma Instabilities Using Temporal Bandwidths Under Shock Ignition Relevant Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Tsung, Frank; Weaver, J.; Lehmberg, R.

2017-10-01

We are performing particle-in-cell simulations using the code OSIRIS to study the effects of laser plasma interactions in the presence of temporal bandwidth under plasma conditions relevant to experiments on the Nike laser with induced spatial incoherence (ISI). With ISI, the instantaneous laser intensity can be 3-4 times larger than the average intensity, leading to the excitation of additional TPD modes and producing electrons with larger angular spread. In our simulations, we observe that although ISI can increase the interaction regions for short bursts of time, time-averaged (over many pico-seconds) laser plasma interactions can be reduced by a factor of 2 in systems with sufficiently large bandwidths (where the inverse bandwidth is comparable with the linear growth time). We will quantify these effects and investigate higher dimensional effects such as laser speckles and the effects of Coulomb collisions. Work supported by NRL, NNSA, and NSF.

Bright X-ray source from a laser-driven micro-plasma-waveguide

CERN Document Server

Yi, Longqing

2016-01-01

Bright tunable x-ray sources have a number of applications in basic science, medicine and industry. The most powerful sources are synchrotrons, where relativistic electrons are circling in giant storage rings. In parallel, compact laser-plasma x-ray sources are being developed. Owing to the rapid progress in laser technology, very high-contrast femtosecond laser pulses of relativistic intensities become available. These pulses allow for interaction with micro-structured solid-density plasma without destroying the structure by parasitic pre-pulses. The high-contrast laser pulses as well as the manufacturing of materials at micro- and nano-scales open a new realm of possibilities for laser interaction with photonic materials at the relativistic intensities. Here we demonstrate, via numerical simulations, that when coupling with a readily available 1.8 Joule laser, a micro-plasma-waveguide (MPW) may serve as a novel compact x-ray source. Electrons are extracted from the walls by the laser field and form a dense ...

Laser plasma interactions in hohlraums

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kruer, W.L.

1994-10-05

Lasers plasma instabilities are an important constraint in x-ray driven inertial confinement fusion. In hohlraums irradiated with 1.06 {mu}m light on the Shiva laser, plasma instabilities were extremely deleterious, driving the program to the use of shorter wavelength light. Excellent coupling has been achieved in hohlraums driven with 0.35 {mu}m light on the Nova laser. Considerable attention is being given to the scaling of this excellent coupling to the larger hohlraums for an ignition target. Various instability control mechanisms such as large plasma wave damping and laser beam incoherence are discussed, as well as scaling experiments to check the instability levels.

High-intensity subpicosecond laser pulse propagation in a 1-cm capillary tube and fast ignitor experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malka, G.; Courtois, C.; Cros, B.; Matthieussent, G. [Paris-11 Univ., 91 - Orsay (France). Lab. de Physique des Gaz et des Plasmas; Blanchot, N.; Bonnaud, G.; Busquet, M.; Canaud, B.; Desenne, D.; Diskier, L.; Garconnet, J.P.; Louis-Jacquet, M.; Lefebvre, E.; Lours, L.; Mens, A.; Miquel, J.L.; Peyrusse, O.; Rousseaux, C. [CEA/Limeil Valenton, 94 - Villeneuve Saint Georges (France); Borghesi, M.; Gaillard, R.; Mackinnon, A.J.; Willi, O. [Imperial Coll., Plasma Physics Groups, London (United Kingdom); Danson, C.; Neely, D. [Rutherford Appleton Lab., Chilton (United Kingdom); Altenberd, D.; Feurer, T.; Forster, E.; Gibbon, P.; Sauerbray, R.; Teubner, U.; Theobald, W.; Uschmann, I. [Institut fur Optik und Quantenelektronik, Jena (Germany); Amiranoff, F.; Baton, S.; Gremillet, L.; Fuchs, J.; Marques, J.R. [Ecole Polytechnique, Lab. d' Utilisation de Lasers Intenses, CNRS-CEA, 91 - Palaiseau (France); Gallant, P.; Kieffer, J.C.; Pepin, H. [INRS Energie et Materiaux, Quebec (Canada); Adam, J.C.; Heron, A.; Laval, G.; Mora, P. [Ecole Polytechnique, 91 - Palaiseau (France). Centre de Physique Theorique

2000-07-01

We present an abstract of ultra short and intense laser plasma interaction experiments which were performed with the 100 TW P102 laser facility at CEA/Limeil-Valenton. Laser interaction at relativistic regime (I>10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2}) has been investigated with different 'targets': overdense plasma, underdense plasma, free electrons and capillary tube. These experiments are of great interests for the Fast Ignitor concept and the Laser Particle Accelerator. (authors)

Measuring the coherence properties of light emission from laser-plasma interactions. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batha, S.H.

1998-01-01

Several detrimental instabilities can be excited when a high-intensity laser interacts with plasma. The temporal evolution and spectra of the scattered light emitted by many of these instabilities are used to characterize the instabilities and to benchmark theories. It has been difficult to image the emission region with sufficient resolution to make quantitative comparisons with theory. Direct measurement of the emission region would yield information on ponderomotive steepening phenomena, the true emission zone of convective instabilities, and on the saturation of absolute instabilities. The increase in laser intensity caused by the filamentation instability is conjectured to elevate the levels of parametric instabilities found in high-energy laser-plasma interactions. Because the diameter of the filaments is very small (on the order of 10 microm), it is impossible to image the emission sites directly and either to prove or to disprove this conjecture. The research reported here examines an alternate method of measuring the emission region of scattered light from parametric instabilities. This report provides a brief background of coherence theory by defining the relevant parameters in Section 2. A concrete example of the effect that multiple scattering sites would have on the proposed measurement is provided in Section 3. The following section briefly describes experiments that might be able to demonstrate the proposed technique. The conclusion raises the issue of coherence and its effect on the expected angular distribution of scattering light from parametric instabilities

Effects induced by high and low intensity laser plasma on SiC Schottky detectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sciuto Antonella

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Silicon-Carbide detectors are extensively employed as diagnostic devices in laser-generated plasma, allowing the simultaneous detection of photons, electrons and ions, when used in time-of-flight configuration. The plasma generated by high intensity laser (1016 W/cm2 producing high energy ions was characterized by SiC detector with a continuous front-electrode, and a very thick active depth, while SiC detector with an Interdigit front-electrode was used to measure the low energy ions of plasma generated by low intensity laser (1010 W/cm2. Information about ion energy, number of charge states, plasma temperature can be accurately obtained. However, laser exposure induces the formation of surface and bulk defects whose concentration increases with increasing the time to plasma exposure. The surface defects consist of clusters with a main size of the order of some microns and they modify the diode barrier height and the efficiency of the detector as checked by alpha spectrometry. The bulk defects, due to the energy loss of detected ions, strongly affect the electrical properties of the device, inducing a relevant increase of the leakage (reverse current and decrease the forward current related to a deactivation of the dopant in the active detector region.

Effects induced by high and low intensity laser plasma on SiC Schottky detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Sciuto, Antonella; Torrisi, Lorenzo; Cannavò, Antonino; Mazzillo, Massimo; Calcagno, Lucia

2018-01-01

Silicon-Carbide detectors are extensively employed as diagnostic devices in laser-generated plasma, allowing the simultaneous detection of photons, electrons and ions, when used in time-of-flight configuration. The plasma generated by high intensity laser (1016 W/cm2) producing high energy ions was characterized by SiC detector with a continuous front-electrode, and a very thick active depth, while SiC detector with an Interdigit front-electrode was used to measure the low energy ions of plasma generated by low intensity laser (1010 W/cm2). Information about ion energy, number of charge states, plasma temperature can be accurately obtained. However, laser exposure induces the formation of surface and bulk defects whose concentration increases with increasing the time to plasma exposure. The surface defects consist of clusters with a main size of the order of some microns and they modify the diode barrier height and the efficiency of the detector as checked by alpha spectrometry. The bulk defects, due to the energy loss of detected ions, strongly affect the electrical properties of the device, inducing a relevant increase of the leakage (reverse) current and decrease the forward current related to a deactivation of the dopant in the active detector region.

Interaction of a CO2 laser beam with a shock-tube plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Box, S.J.C.; John, P.K.; Byszewski, W.W.

1977-01-01

The results of experimental investigations of the interaction of a CO 2 laser beam with plasma produced in an electromagnetic shock tube are presented. The interaction was investigated in two different configurations: with the laser beam perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the shock wave and with the laser beam parallel to the direction of the shock wave. The laser energy was 0.3 J in a 180-nsec pulse. The plasma density was in the range 10 17 --10 18 cm -3 and temperature was around 2 eV. Spectroscopic methods were used in the measurement of density and temperature. Direct observation of the path of the laser beam through the plasma was made by an image-convertor camera in conjunction with a narrow-band interference filter. The propagation of the laser through the plasma and energy absorption are discussed. The observed maximum increase in electron temperature due to the laser in the first configuration was 0.4 eV and the estimated temperature increase in the second configuration was about 2 eV

Laser propagation and compton scattering in parabolic plasma channel

CERN Document Server

Dongguo, L; Yokoya, K; Hirose, T

2003-01-01

A Gaussian laser beam propagating in a parabolic plasma channel is discussed in this paper. For a weak laser, plasma density perturbation induced by interaction between the laser field and plasma is very small, the refractive index can be assumed to be constant with respect to time variable. For a parabolic plasma channel, through the static propagation equation, we obtain an analytical solution of the profile function of the Gaussian laser beam for an unmatched case and give the general condition for the matched case. As the laser intensity increases, an effect due to strong laser fields is included. We discuss how to design and select the distribution of plasma density for a certain experiment in which a plasma channel is utilized to guide a laser beam. The number of scattered photons (X-rays) generated through Compton backscattering in a plasma channel is discussed. (author)

Hydrodynamic time scales for intense laser-heated clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parra, Enrique; Alexeev, Ilya; Fan, Jingyun; Kim, Kiong Y.; McNaught, Stuart J.; Milchberg, Howard M.

2003-01-01

Measurements are presented of x-ray (>1.5 keV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV, λ equal to 2-44 nm) emission from argon clusters irradiated with constant-energy (50 mJ), variable-width laser pulses ranging from 100 fs to 10 ns. The results for clusters can be understood in terms of two time scales: a short time scale for optimal resonant absorption at the critical-density layer in the expanding plasma, and a longer time scale for the plasma to drop below critical density. We present a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model of the intense laser-cluster interaction in which the laser field is treated self-consistently. We find that nonuniform expansion of the heated material results in long-time resonance of the laser field at the critical-density plasma layer. These simulations explain the dependence of generation efficiency on laser pulse width

30th Course of the International School of Quantum Electronics on Atoms, Solids and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields

CERN Document Server

Joachain, Charles; Martellucci, Sergio; Chester, Arthur; Atoms, Solids and Plasmas in Super-intense Laser Fields "Ettore Majorana"

2000-01-01

The recent developement of high power lasers, delivering femtosecond pulses of 20 2 intensities up to 10 W/cm , has led to the discovery of new phenomena in laser interactions with matter. At these enormous laser intensities, atoms, and molecules are exposed to extreme conditions and new phenomena occur, such as the very rapid multi photon ionization of atomic systems, the emission by these systems of very high order harmonics of the exciting laser light, the Coulomb explosion of molecules, and the acceleration of electrons close to the velocity of light. These phenomena generate new behaviour of bulk matter in intense laser fields, with great potential for wide ranging applications which include the study of ultra-fast processes, the development of high-frequency lasers, and the investigation of the properties of plasmas and condensed matter under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure. In particular, the concept of the "fast ignitor" approach to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) has been p...

The first observations of laser satellites from plasma created by high intense laser pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skobelev, I.Yu.; Faenov, A.Ya.; Magunov, A.I. [Multicharged Ions Spectra Data Center of VNIIFTRI, Mendeleevo (Russian Federation); Osterheld, A.; Young, B.; Dunn, J.; Stewart, R.E. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

1997-12-31

Laser satellites, i.e. spectral lines caused by non-linear interaction of strong laser radiation with multicharged ions, are observed for the first time. Their identification are carried out by comparison of both experimental wavelengths and intensities with theoretical ones. It is shown that observation of laser satellites allows to measure directly the energies of ionic metastable states. (orig.). 3 refs.

Theoretical study of the interaction between intense laser pulses and rare gas clusters; Etude theorique de l'interaction entre une impulsion laser intense et un agregat de gaz rare

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Micheau, S

2007-07-15

The irradiation of nanometer-scale rare gas clusters by a short (a few hundreds of femtosecond) and intense (I > 10{sup 15} W/cm{sup 2}) laser pulse yields multi-keV short X-ray bursts. We employ an hydrodynamic model, the so-called 'nano-plasma model', to understand the mechanisms that tailor the interaction. In this model, the cluster is treated as a dielectric sphere embedded in the quasi-static laser field leading to the formation of a plasma of nano-metric size. We have shown that this model cannot reproduce the experimental results such as the high ionization states and associated X-ray spectra. We have thus included in the model two additional mechanisms that significantly improve the ionization dynamics. First, we have introduced high order ionization processes involving intermediate excited states X{sup q+} + e{sup -} {yields} X{sup q+*} + e{sup -} {yields}... {yields} X{sup q+1+} + 2 e{sup -}. We have used a model potential approach to describe the electronic structure of the cluster's ions (and atoms), and we have computed the total excitation and ionization cross-sections in the distorted-wave Born approximation. Secondly we have studied the influence of screening phenomena induced by the electronic density on the interaction dynamics. By using a sophisticated potential, we have shown that screening effects enhance ionization and lower excitation cross sections with respect to the unscreened data. The improved nano-plasma model allows us to reproduce the populations of highly charged states experimentally observed, and the variation of argon He{sub {alpha}} emission with respect to the various experimental parameters (cluster size, laser pulse duration, intensity and wavelength). We have further computed time- and energy-resolved X-ray spectra which emphasize ultra-short emission duration (less than 100 fs), and therefore indicate that cluster-based X-ray sources are adequate to ultrafast X-ray science applications. (author)

Ion energy distributions from laser-generated plasmas at two different intensities

Science.gov (United States)

Ceccio, Giovanni; Torrisi, Lorenzo; Okamura, Masahiro; Kanesue, Takeshi; Ikeda, Shunsuke

2018-01-01

Laser-generated non-equilibrium plasmas were analyzed at Brookhaven National Laboratory (NY, USA) and MIFT Messina University (Italy). Two laser intensities of 1012 W/cm2 and 109 W/cm2, have been employed to irradiate Al and Al with Au coating targets in high vacuum conditions. Ion energy distributions were obtained using electrostatic analyzers coupled with ion collectors. Time of flight measurements were performed by changing the laser irradiation conditions. The study was carried out to provide optimum keV ions injection into post acceleration systems. Possible applications will be presented.

Charge-exchange-induced formation of hollow atoms in high-intensity laser-produced plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosmej, F.B. [TU-Darmstadt, Institut fuer Kernphysik, Darmstadt (Germany); Faenov, A.Ya.; Pikuz, T.A.; Magunov, A.I.; Skobelev, I.Yu. [Multicharged Ions Spectra Data Center of VNIIFTRI, Mendeleevo (Russian Federation); Auguste, T.; D' Oliveira, P.; Hulin, S.; Monot, P. [Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique DSM/DRECAM/SPAM, Gif-Sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Andreev, N.E.; Chegotov, M.V.; Veisman, M.E. [High Energy Density Research Centre, Institute of High Temperatures of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1999-03-14

For the first time registration of high-resolution soft x-ray emission and atomic data calculations of hollow-atom dielectronic satellite spectra of highly charged nitrogen have been performed. Double-electron charge-exchange processes from excited states are proposed for the formation of autoionizing levels nln'l' in high-intensity laser-produced plasmas, when field-ionized ions penetrate into the residual gas. Good agreement is found between theory and experiment. Plasma spectroscopy with hollow ions is proposed and a temperature diagnostic for laser-produced plasmas in the long-lasting recombining regime is developed. (author). Letter-to-the-editor.

The 1989 progress report: Laboratory for the Utilization of High-Intensity Laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabre, E.

1989-01-01

The 1989 progress report of the laboratory for the Utilization of High-Intensity Lasers of the Polytechnic School (France) is presented. The investigations reported were performed in the following fields: laser-matter interactions in fusion experiments, particles' laser acceleration, picoseconds and femtoseconds interactions, low-flux interactions, development of hydrodynamic codes, laser chocks simulation codes, x-ray lasers, generation of high pressures, implosion physics at 0.26 microns, dense plasmas, material's hardening by laser radiation. The published papers, the conferences and the Laboratory staff are listed [fr

Manipulation of the polarization of intense laser beams via optical wave mixing in plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Michel, Pierre; Divol, Laurent; Turnbull, David; Moody, John

2014-10-01

When intense laser beams overlap in plasmas, the refractive index modulation created by the beat wave via the ponderomotive force can lead to optical wave mixing phenomena reminiscent of those used in crystals and photorefractive materials. Using a vector analysis, we present a full analytical description of the modification of the polarization state of laser beams crossing at arbitrary angles in a plasma. We show that plasmas can be used to provide full control of the polarization state of a laser beam, and give simple analytical estimates and practical considerations for the design of novel photonics devices such as plasma polarizers and plasma waveplates. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344.

QED effects induced harmonics generation in extreme intense laser foil interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, J. Y.; Yuan, T.; Liu, W. Y.; Chen, M.; Luo, W.; Weng, S. M.; Sheng, Z. M.

2018-04-01

A new mechanism of harmonics generation (HG) induced by quantum electrodynamics (QED) effects in extreme intense laser foil interaction is found and investigated by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. When two laser pulses with identical intensities of 1.6× {10}24 {{W}} {{{cm}}}-2 are counter-incident on a thin foil target, harmonics emission is observed in their reflected electromagnetic waves. Such harmonics radiation is excited due to transversely oscillating electric currents coming from the vibration of QED effect generated {e}-{e}+ pairs. The effects of laser intensity and polarization were studied. By distinguishing the cascade depth of generated photons and pairs, the influence of QED cascades on HG was analyzed. Although the current HG is not an efficient way for radiation source applications, it may provide a unique way to detect the QED processes in the near future ultra-relativistic laser solid interactions.

Laser–plasma interactions for fast ignition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kemp, A.J.; Fiuza, F.; Patel, P.K.; Debayle, A.; Johzaki, T.; Mori, W.B.; Sentoku, Y.; Silva, L.O.

2014-01-01

In the electron-driven fast-ignition (FI) approach to inertial confinement fusion, petawatt laser pulses are required to generate MeV electrons that deposit several tens of kilojoules in the compressed core of an imploded DT shell. We review recent progress in the understanding of intense laser–plasma interactions (LPI) relevant to FI. Increases in computational and modelling capabilities, as well as algorithmic developments have led to enhancement in our ability to perform multi-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of LPI at relevant scales. We discuss the physics of the interaction in terms of laser absorption fraction, the laser-generated electron spectra, divergence, and their temporal evolution. Scaling with irradiation conditions such as laser intensity are considered, as well as the dependence on plasma parameters. Different numerical modelling approaches and configurations are addressed, providing an overview of the modelling capabilities and limitations. In addition, we discuss the comparison of simulation results with experimental observables. In particular, we address the question of surrogacy of today's experiments for the full-scale FI problem. (special topic)

Femtosecond laser-plasma interaction with prepulse-generated liquid metal microjets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uryupina, D. S.; Ivanov, K. A.; Savel'ev, A. B.; Volkov, R. V.; Brantov, A. V.; Bychenkov, V. Yu.; Povarnitsyn, M. E.; Tikhonchuk, V. T.

2012-01-01

Ultrashort laser pulse interaction with a microstructured surface of a melted metal is a promising source of hard x-ray radiation. Microstructuring is achieved by a weak prepulse that produces narrow high-density microjets. As an x-ray source, the interaction of the main laser pulse with such jets is shown to be nearly two orders of magnitude more efficient than the interaction with ordinary metal targets. This paper presents the results of optical and x-ray studies of laser-plasma interaction physics under such conditions supported by numerical simulations of microjet formation and fast-electron generation.

Femtosecond laser-plasma interaction with prepulse-generated liquid metal microjets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uryupina, D. S.; Ivanov, K. A.; Savel' ev, A. B.; Volkov, R. V. [Faculty of Physics and International Laser Center of M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Leninskie Gory (Russian Federation); Brantov, A. V.; Bychenkov, V. Yu. [P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation); Povarnitsyn, M. E. [Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, 125412 Moscow (Russian Federation); Tikhonchuk, V. T. [CELIA, University of Bordeaux - CNRS - CEA, 33405 Talence (France)

2012-01-15

Ultrashort laser pulse interaction with a microstructured surface of a melted metal is a promising source of hard x-ray radiation. Microstructuring is achieved by a weak prepulse that produces narrow high-density microjets. As an x-ray source, the interaction of the main laser pulse with such jets is shown to be nearly two orders of magnitude more efficient than the interaction with ordinary metal targets. This paper presents the results of optical and x-ray studies of laser-plasma interaction physics under such conditions supported by numerical simulations of microjet formation and fast-electron generation.

Tracing the plasma interactions for pulsed reactive crossed-beam laser ablation

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jikun; Stender, Dieter; Pichler, Markus; Döbeli, Max; Pergolesi, Daniele; Schneider, Christof W.; Wokaun, Alexander; Lippert, Thomas

2015-10-01

Pulsed reactive crossed-beam laser ablation is an effective technique to govern the chemical activity of plasma species and background molecules during pulsed laser deposition. Instead of using a constant background pressure, a gas pulse with a reactive gas, synchronized with the laser beam, is injected into vacuum or a low background pressure near the ablated area of the target. It intercepts the initially generated plasma plume, thereby enhancing the physicochemical interactions between the gaseous environment and the plasma species. For this study, kinetic energy resolved mass-spectrometry and time-resolved plasma imaging were used to study the physicochemical processes occurring during the reactive crossed beam laser ablation of a partially 18O substituted La0.6Sr0.4MnO3 target using oxygen as gas pulse. The characteristics of the ablated plasma are compared with those observed during pulsed laser deposition in different oxygen background pressures.

High-energy 4ω probe laser for laser-plasma experiments at Nova

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glenzer, S.H.; Weiland, T.L.; Bower, J.; MacKinnon, A.J.; MacGowan, B.J.

1999-01-01

For the characterization of inertial confinement fusion plasmas, we implemented a high-energy 4ω probe laser at the Nova laser facility. A total energy of >50 J at 4ω, a focal spot size of order 100 μm, and a pointing accuracy of 100 μm was demonstrated for target shots. This laser provides intensities of up to 3x10 14 Wcm -2 and therefore fulfills high-power requirements for laser-plasma interaction experiments. The 4ω probe laser is now routinely used for Thomson scattering. Successful experiments were performed in gas-filled hohlraums at electron densities of n e >2x10 21 cm -3 which represents the highest density plasma so far being diagnosed with Thomson scattering. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

Efficient energy absorption of intense ps-laser pulse into nanowire target

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habara, H.; Honda, S.; Katayama, M.; Tanaka, K. A. [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); Sakagami, H. [National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Nagai, K. [Laboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuda 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, Kanagawa (Japan)

2016-06-15

The interaction between ultra-intense laser light and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes is investigated to demonstrate efficient laser-energy absorption in the ps laser-pulse regime. Results indicate a clear enhancement of the energy conversion from laser to energetic electrons and a simultaneously small plasma expansion on the surface of the target. A two-dimensional plasma particle calculation exhibits a high absorption through laser propagation deep into the nanotube array, even for a dense array whose structure is much smaller than the laser wavelength. The propagation leads to the radial expansion of plasma perpendicular to the nanotubes rather than to the front side. These features may contribute to fast ignition in inertial confinement fusion and laser particle acceleration, both of which require high current and small surface plasma simultaneously.

Investigation of relativistic laser-plasmas using nuclear diagnostics; Untersuchung relativistischer Laserplasmen mittels nukleardiagnostischer Verfahren

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guenther, Marc M.

2011-01-19

The present work explores with the development of a novel nuclear diagnostic method for the investigation of the electron dynamics in relativistic laser-plasma interactions. An additional aim of this work was the determination of the real laser peak intensity via the interaction of an intense laser short-pulse with a solid target. The nuclear diagnostics is based on a photo-neutron disintegration nuclear activation method. The main constituent of the nuclear diagnostic are novel pseudoalloic activation targets as a kind of calorimeter to measure the high-energy bremsstrahlung produced by relativistic electrons. The targets are composed of several stable isotopes with different ({gamma},xn)-reaction thresholds. The activated nuclides were identified via the characteristic gamma-ray decay spectrum by using high-resolution gamma spectroscopy after the laser irradiation. Via the gamma spectroscopy the ({gamma},xn)-reaction yields were determined. The high-energy bremsstrahlung spectrum has been deconvolved using a novel analysis method based on a modified Penfold-Leiss method. This facilitates the reconstruction of the spectrum of bremsstrahlung photons without any anticipated fit procedures. Furthermore, the characterization of the corresponding bremsstrahlung electrons in the interaction zone is accessible immediately. The consolidated findings about the properties of the relativistic electrons were used to determine the real peak intensity at the laser-plasma interaction zone. In the context of this work, experiments were performed at three different laser facilities. First Experiments were carried out at the 100 TW laser facility at Laboratoire pour l'Utilisation des Lasers Intense (LULI) in France and supplementary at the Vulcan laser facility at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in United Kingdom. The main part of the activation experiments were performed at the PHELIX laser facility (Petawatt High Energy Laser for heavy Ion EXperiments) at GSI

The use of laser beams for plasma diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gex, J.P.; Jolas, A.; Launspach, J.; Schirmann, D.

1975-01-01

The optical properties of lasers allow them to be a promising source for plasma diagnosis. The Q-switched lasers provide the opportunity to make observations in a very short time interval down to a few picoseconds. The laser space and time coherence properties allow interferometric measurements of plasma electron densities. Thus in the experiments of laser-matter interactions, the radiation obtained by frequency conversion of the Nd: glass laser emission is used for density measurements (up to 10 20 cm -3 ) in small scale plasmas (approximately equal to 1mm). Owing to the monochromaticity and high intensity of the Q-switched laser radiation, density fluctuations and microscopic instabilities of the plasma can be studied by Thompson scattering measurements. Finally, some statistically isotropic media become birefringent under the action of the strong electrical field of the laser beam radiation. This effect can be used for laser pulse duration measurements in a range not exceeding a few picoseconds [fr

Tracing the plasma interactions for pulsed reactive crossed-beam laser ablation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Jikun; Stender, Dieter; Pichler, Markus; Pergolesi, Daniele; Schneider, Christof W.; Wokaun, Alexander; Lippert, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.lippert@psi.ch [General Energy Research Department, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Döbeli, Max [Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland)

2015-10-28

Pulsed reactive crossed-beam laser ablation is an effective technique to govern the chemical activity of plasma species and background molecules during pulsed laser deposition. Instead of using a constant background pressure, a gas pulse with a reactive gas, synchronized with the laser beam, is injected into vacuum or a low background pressure near the ablated area of the target. It intercepts the initially generated plasma plume, thereby enhancing the physicochemical interactions between the gaseous environment and the plasma species. For this study, kinetic energy resolved mass-spectrometry and time-resolved plasma imaging were used to study the physicochemical processes occurring during the reactive crossed beam laser ablation of a partially {sup 18}O substituted La{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}MnO{sub 3} target using oxygen as gas pulse. The characteristics of the ablated plasma are compared with those observed during pulsed laser deposition in different oxygen background pressures.

Hosing, sausaging, filamentation and side-scatter of a high-intensity short-pulse laser in an under-dense plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najmudin, Z.; Krushelnick, K.; Clark, E.L.; Salvati, M.; Santala, M.I.K.; Tatarakis, M.; Dangor, A.E.

2000-01-01

Previous studies of high-intensity short-pulse laser beams propagating in under-dense plasma have relied on spectrally integrated Thomson scattering images. Though interesting, many significant features of the interaction cannot be diagnosed by this method. We report on shadow-graphy and spectrally resolved Thomson scattering of such an interaction. These images reveal many processes previously predicted but unseen, such as the Raman side-scatter and filamentation instabilities. Also the interaction is shown to clearly demonstrate many propagation instabilities such as 'sausaging' and 'hosing' for the first time. (authors)

Progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science II

CERN Document Server

Yamanouchi, Kaoru; Agostini, Pierre; Ferrante, Gaetano

2007-01-01

This book series addresses a newly emerging interdisciplinary research field, Ultrafast Intense Laser Science, spanning atomic and molecular physics, molecular science, and optical science. Its progress is being stimulated by the recent development of ultrafast laser technologies. Highlights of this second volume include Coulomb explosion and fragmentation of molecules, control of chemical dynamics, high-order harmonic generation, propagation and filamentation, and laser-plasma interaction. All chapters are authored by foremost experts in their fields and the texts are written at a level accessible to newcomers and graduate students, each chapter beginning with an introductory overview.

Dense monoenergetic proton beams from chirped laser-plasma interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galow, Benjamin J.; Keitel, Christoph H. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, Heidelberg (Germany); Salamin, Yousef I. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, Heidelberg (Germany); Department of Physics, American University of Sharjah, POB 26666, Sharjah (United Arab Emirates); Liseykina, Tatyana V. [Institut fuer Physik, Universitaet Rostock, 18051 Rostock (Germany); Harman, Zoltan [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, Heidelberg (Germany); ExtreMe Matter Institute EMMI, Planckstrasse 1, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany)

2012-07-01

Interaction of a frequency-chirped laser pulse with single protons and a hydrogen gas target is studied analytically and by means of particle-in-cell simulations, respectively. Feasibility of generating ultra-intense (10{sup 7} particles per bunch) and phase-space collimated beams of protons (energy spread of about 1%) is demonstrated. Phase synchronization of the protons and the laser field, guaranteed by the appropriate chirping of the laser pulse, allows the particles to gain sufficient kinetic energy (around 250 MeV) required for such applications as hadron cancer therapy, from state-of-the-art laser systems of intensities of the order of 10{sup 21} W/cm{sup 2}.

Dense monoenergetic proton beams from chirped laser-plasma interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jianxing; Galow, Benjamin J.; Keitel, Christoph H. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, Heidelberg (Germany); Salamin, Yousef I. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, Heidelberg (Germany); Department of Physics, American University of Sharjah, POB 26666, Sharjah (United Arab Emirates); Harman, Zoltan [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, Heidelberg (Germany); ExtreMe Matter Institute EMMI, Planckstrasse 1, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany)

2013-07-01

Interactions of linearly and radially polarized frequency-chirped laser pulses with single protons and hydrogen gas targets are studied analytically and by means of particle-in-cell simulations, respectively. The feasibility of generating ultra-intense (10{sup 7} particles per bunch) and phase-space collimated beams of protons is demonstrated. Phase synchronization of the protons and the laser field, guaranteed by the appropriate chirping of the laser pulse, allows the particles to gain sufficient kinetic energy (around 250 MeV) required for such applications as hadron cancer therapy, from state-of-the-art laser systems of intensities of the order of 10{sup 21} W/cm{sup 2}.

Progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science VIII

CERN Document Server

Nisoli, Mauro; Hill, Wendell; III, III

2012-01-01

The PUILS series delivers up-to-date reviews of progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science, a newly emerging interdisciplinary research field spanning atomic and molecular physics, molecular science and optical science which has been stimulated by the recent developments in ultrafast laser technologies. Each volume compiles peer-reviewed articles authored by researchers at the forefront of each their own subfields of UILS. Every chapter opens with an overview of the topics to be discussed, so that researchers unfamiliar to the subfield as well as graduate students can grasp the importance and attractions of the research topic at hand. These are followed by reports of cutting-edge discoveries. This eighth volume covers a broad range of topics from this interdisciplinary research field, focusing on molecules interacting with ultrashort and intense laser fields, advanced technologies for the characterization of ultrashort laser pulses and their applications, laser plasma formation and laser acceleration.

High-performance modeling of plasma-based acceleration and laser-plasma interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Vay, Jean-Luc; Blaclard, Guillaume; Godfrey, Brendan; Kirchen, Manuel; Lee, Patrick; Lehe, Remi; Lobet, Mathieu; Vincenti, Henri

2016-10-01

Large-scale numerical simulations are essential to the design of plasma-based accelerators and laser-plasma interations for ultra-high intensity (UHI) physics. The electromagnetic Particle-In-Cell (PIC) approach is the method of choice for self-consistent simulations, as it is based on first principles, and captures all kinetic effects, and also scale favorably to many cores on supercomputers. The standard PIC algorithm relies on second-order finite-difference discretization of the Maxwell and Newton-Lorentz equations. We present here novel formulations, based on very high-order pseudo-spectral Maxwell solvers, which enable near-total elimination of the numerical Cherenkov instability and increased accuracy over the standard PIC method for standard laboratory frame and Lorentz boosted frame simulations. We also present the latest implementations in the PIC modules Warp-PICSAR and FBPIC on the Intel Xeon Phi and GPU architectures. Examples of applications will be given on the simulation of laser-plasma accelerators and high-harmonic generation with plasma mirrors. Work supported by US-DOE Contracts DE-AC02-05CH11231 and by the European Commission through the Marie Slowdoska-Curie fellowship PICSSAR Grant Number 624543. Used resources of NERSC.

Using prepulsing: a useful way for increasing absorption efficiency of high intensity laser beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Huimin; Zhang Guoping; Sheng Jiatian

1990-01-01

Using prepulse to irradiate target for increasing absorption efficiency of high intensity incident laser beam is considered and some theoretical simulations have been done. 1-D non-LTE radiative hydrodynamic code is used to simulate the interactions of laser beam with matter. A gaussian laser prepulse of wavelength 1.06 μm, FWHM 600 ps and peak intensity 1.5 x 10 12 W/cm 2 was used to irradiate 20 μm thick Au plate target, after 3ns a main gaussian pulse with wavelength 1.06 μm, FWHM 600 ps and peak intensity 3.0 x 10 14 W/cm 2 irradiated the expanding Au plasma. The responces of laser-produced plasma conditions are shown. By comparing with without prepulsing, under the condition of same main incident laser pulse, the absorption efficiency is increased from 0.36 to 0.60 and the laser-x-ray conversion efficiency is increased from 0.16 to 0.25. The electron temperature of hot plasma is also higher than without prepulsing, and the x-ray spectrum which is emitted from laser-produced hot plasma is harder and more intense than without prepulsing. The responces of laser-produced plasma for Fe target with prepulsing are shown as well. The conclusion is that using prepulsing is a useful way for getting high absorption laser beam

On the mutual interaction between laser beams in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren, C.; Duda, B.J.; Evans, R.G.; Fonseca, R.A.; Hemker, R.G.; Mori, W.B.

2002-01-01

The nonlinear interaction between light beams in a plasma is studied. In particular, nonlinearities due to relativistic mass corrections and density modulations from a plasma wave wake are considered; but the results can be generalized for other nonlinearities. A simple physical picture using the nonlinear phase velocity of the light wave in a plasma is developed to show that when two laser beams are coherent, the force can be repulsive or attractive, depending on their relative phase. When the two laser beams are polarized in mutually perpendicular directions, the force is always attractive. Using a variational method, a simple analytical expression for this attractive force is derived for Gaussian beams. The centers of the lasers move analogously to point masses under this attractive force with the laser power playing the role of the mass. Under an attractive force, solutions exist where the two lasers can spiral around each other. It is also shown that the plasma wave wake can cause the two spiraling lasers to become intertwined forming a braided pattern. The braiding is common to any nonlinearity which is not instantaneous. The analytical results concerning attraction, repulsion, and braiding have been confirmed using three dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The simulations also show that angular momentum can radiate away leading to the coalescence of the remaining energy

Modifications of the laser beam coherence inertial confinement fusion plasmas; Modifications des proprietes de coherence des faisceaux laser dans les plasmas de fusion par confinement inertiel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grech, M

2007-06-15

Inertial confinement fusion by laser requires smoothed laser beam with well-controlled coherence properties. Such beams are made of many randomly distributed intensity maxima: the so-called speckles. As the laser beam propagates through plasma its temporal and spatial coherence can be reduced. This phenomenon is called plasma induced smoothing. For high laser intensities, instabilities developing independently inside the speckles are responsible for the coherence loss. At lower intensities, only collective effects, involving many speckles, can lead to induced smoothing. This thesis is a theoretical, numerical and experimental study of these mechanisms. Accounting for the partially incoherent behavior of the laser beams requires the use of statistical description of the laser-plasma interaction. A model is developed for the multiple scattering of the laser light on the self-induced density perturbations that is responsible for a spreading of the temporal and spatial spectra of the transmitted light. It also serves as a strong seed for the instability of forward stimulated Brillouin scattering that induces both, angular spreading and red-shift of the transmitted light. A statistical model is developed for this instability. A criterion is obtained that gives a laser power (below the critical power for filamentation) above which the instability growth is important. Numerical simulations with the interaction code PARAX and an experiment performed on the ALISE laser facility confirm the importance of these forward scattering mechanisms in the modification of the laser coherence properties. (author)

Progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science Volume V

CERN Document Server

Yamanouchi, Kaoru; Ledingham, Kenneth

2010-01-01

The PUILS series delivers up-to-date reviews of progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science, a newly emerging interdisciplinary research field spanning atomic and molecular physics, molecular science, and optical science, which has been stimulated by the recent developments in ultrafast laser technologies. Each volume compiles peer-reviewed articles authored by researchers at the forefront of each their own subfields of UILS. Every chapter opens with an overview of the topics to be discussed, so that researchers unfamiliar to the subfield, as well as graduate students, can grasp the importance and attractions of the research topic at hand; these are followed by reports of cutting-edge discoveries. This fifth volume covers a broad range of topics from this interdisciplinary research field, focusing on coherent responses of gaseous and condensed matter to ultrashort intense laser pulses, propagation of intense laser pulses, and laser-plasma interaction and its applications.

Propagation of an intense laser pulse in an under-dense plasma: channeling and stimulated Raman scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friou, A.

2012-01-01

This thesis is divided in two parts: i) the laser channeling in hundreds of microns long under-dense plasmas (0.1 nc ≤ n ≤ nc, nc being the critical density) of a laser pulse of intensity 10 18-20 W/cm 2 and duration 1-10 ps; ii) the saturation mechanisms of stimulated Raman back-scattering of a laser pulse of intensity 10 14 to 10 16 W/cm 2 and duration of about 1 ps. A parametric study was performed to study the channeling of a very intense laser pulse, using a 2D PIC (Particle In Cell) code. Various kinds of channels were obtained depending on the laser and plasma parameters, thereby reproducing and enlarging previous studies. Moreover, the channeling velocity was measured and scaling laws were established for homogeneous plasmas. They are then applied to inhomogeneous plasmas, similar to those encountered in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). It is then possible to estimate the energy necessary to channel to the critical density, an important step for the fast ignition scheme of ICF. Raman saturation was studied using numerical simulations, in order to determine if it is due to dephasing or to the growth of sidebands, using different approaches. The first is to study Raman simulations (electromagnetic) performed with kinetic PIC and Vlasov codes. The second, is to study the evolution of a plasma initialized with a distribution function after the adiabatic theory, using a Vlasov code (electrostatic). In this case, we observe the growth of a sideband, with dominant wave number and growth rate in good agreement with kinetic simulations. The saturation of the plasma wave can be caused by both saturation mechanisms. [fr

Study on Laser Induced Plasma Produced in Liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuda, N.; Yamada, J.

2003-01-01

When an intense laser light is focused in liquid, a hot plasma is produced at the focal spot. The breakdown threshold and the transmittance of sodium choroids solution are observed using excimer laser or YAG laser. The breakdown threshold decreases with increasing NaCl concentration. Threshold intensity of plasma produced by YAG laser is lower than excimer laser. The behavior of plasma development is observed by a streak camera. The plasma produced by a YAG laser develops only backward. However, the plasma produced by excimer laser develops not only backward but also forward same as the plasma development in high-pressure gases

Collaborative Research: Tomographic imaging of laser-plasma structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Downer, Michael [University of Texas at Austin

2018-01-18

The interaction of intense short laser pulses with ionized gases, or plasmas, underlies many applications such as acceleration of elementary particles, production of energy by laser fusion, generation of x-ray and far-infrared “terahertz” pulses for medical and materials probing, remote sensing of explosives and pollutants, and generation of guide stars. Such laser-plasma interactions create tiny electron density structures (analogous to the wake behind a boat) inside the plasma in the shape of waves, bubbles and filaments that move at the speed of light, and evolve as they propagate. Prior to recent work by the PI of this proposal, detailed knowledge of such structures came exclusively from intensive computer simulations. Now “snapshots” of these elusive, light-velocity structures can be taken in the laboratory using dynamic variant of holography, the technique used to produce ID cards and DVDs, and dynamic variant of tomography, the technique used in medicine to image internal bodily organs. These fast visualization techniques are important for understanding, improving and scaling the above-mentioned applications of laser-plasma interactions. In this project, we accomplished three things: 1) We took holographic pictures of a laser-driven plasma-wave in the act of accelerating electrons to high energy, and used computer simulations to understand the pictures. 2) Using results from this experiment to optimize the performance of the accelerator, and the brightness of x-rays that it emits. These x-rays will be useful for medical and materials science applications. 3) We made technical improvements to the holographic technique that enables us to see finer details in the recorded pictures. Four refereed journal papers were published, and two students earned PhDs and moved on to scientific careers in US National Laboratories based on their work under this project.

Thermonuclear fusion plasma produced by lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamanaka, C.; Yokoyama, M.; Nakai, S.; Sasaki, T.; Yoshida, K.; Matoba, M.; Yamabe, C.; Tschudi, T.; Yamanaka, T.; Mizui, J.; Yamaguchi, N.; Nishikawa, K.

1975-01-01

Recently, much attention has been focused on laser fusion schemes using high-density plasmas produced by implosion. Scientific-feasibility laser-fusion experiments are now in time. But the physics of interaction between laser and plasma, the high-compression technique and the development of high-power lasers are still important problems to be solved if laser fusion is to make some progress. In the field of laser-plasma coupling, experiments were carried out in which hydrogen and deuterium sticks were bombarded by laser beams; in these experiments, a glass-laser system, LETKKO-I, with an energy of 50 J in a nanosecond pulse, and a double-discharge TEA CO 2 laser system with an energy of 100 J in a 100-ns pulse were used. A decrease in reflectivity occurred at a laser intensity one order of magnitude higher than the parametric-instability threshold. Self-phase modulation of scattered light due to modulational instability was found. A Brillouin-backscattering isotope effect due to the hydrogen and deuterium plasma has also been observed in the red-side part of the SHG-light. Preliminary compression experiments have been carried out using a glass-laser system LETKKO-II, with an energy of 250-1000 J in a ns-pulse. A hologram has been used to study shock waves in the plasma due to the SHG-light converted from the main laser beam. Development of high-power lasers has been promoted, such as disc-glass lasers, E-beam CO 2 lasers and excimer lasers. (author)

Ultra-relativistic ion acceleration in the laser-plasma interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang Yongsheng; Wang Naiyan; Tang Xiuzhang; Shi Yijin [China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413 (China); Xueqing Yan [Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2012-09-15

An analytical relativistic model is proposed to describe the relativistic ion acceleration in the interaction of ultra-intense laser pulses with thin-foil plasmas. It is found that there is a critical value of the ion momentum to make sure that the ions are trapped by the light sail and accelerated in the radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) region. If the initial ion momentum is smaller than the critical value, that is in the classical case of RPA, the potential has a deep well and traps the ions to be accelerated, as the same described before by simulation results [Eliasson et al., New J. Phys. 11, 073006 (2009)]. There is a new ion acceleration region different from RPA, called ultra-relativistic acceleration, if the ion momentum exceeds the critical value. In this case, ions will experience a potential downhill. The dependence of the ion momentum and the self-similar variable at the ion front on the acceleration time has been obtained. In the ultra-relativistic limit, the ion momentum at the ion front is proportional to t{sup 4/5}, where t is the acceleration time. In our analytical hydrodynamical model, it is naturally predicted that the ion distribution from RPA is not monoenergetic, although the phase-stable acceleration mechanism is effective. The critical conditions of the laser and plasma parameters which identify the two acceleration modes have been achieved.

Ultra-relativistic ion acceleration in the laser-plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Yongsheng; Wang Naiyan; Tang Xiuzhang; Shi Yijin; Xueqing Yan

2012-01-01

An analytical relativistic model is proposed to describe the relativistic ion acceleration in the interaction of ultra-intense laser pulses with thin-foil plasmas. It is found that there is a critical value of the ion momentum to make sure that the ions are trapped by the light sail and accelerated in the radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) region. If the initial ion momentum is smaller than the critical value, that is in the classical case of RPA, the potential has a deep well and traps the ions to be accelerated, as the same described before by simulation results [Eliasson et al., New J. Phys. 11, 073006 (2009)]. There is a new ion acceleration region different from RPA, called ultra-relativistic acceleration, if the ion momentum exceeds the critical value. In this case, ions will experience a potential downhill. The dependence of the ion momentum and the self-similar variable at the ion front on the acceleration time has been obtained. In the ultra-relativistic limit, the ion momentum at the ion front is proportional to t 4/5 , where t is the acceleration time. In our analytical hydrodynamical model, it is naturally predicted that the ion distribution from RPA is not monoenergetic, although the phase-stable acceleration mechanism is effective. The critical conditions of the laser and plasma parameters which identify the two acceleration modes have been achieved.

Scaling of laser-plasma interactions with laser wavelength and plasma size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Max, C.E.; Campbell, E.M.; Mead, W.C.; Kruer, W.L.; Phillion, D.W.; Turner, R.E.; Lasinski, B.F.; Estabrook, K.G.

1983-01-01

Plasma size is an important parameter in wavelength-scaling experiments because it determines both the threshold and potential gain for a variety of laser-plasma instabilities. Most experiments to date have of necessity produced relatively small plasmas, due to laser energy and pulse-length limitations. We have discussed in detail three recent Livermore experiments which had large enough plasmas that some instability thresholds were exceeded or approached. Our evidence for Raman scatter, filamentation, and the two-plasmon decay instability needs to be confirmed in experiments which measure several instability signatures simultaneously, and which produce more quantitative information about the local density and temperature profiles than we have today

Scaling of laser-plasma interactions with laser wavelength and plasma size

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Max, C.E.; Campbell, E.M.; Mead, W.C.; Kruer, W.L.; Phillion, D.W.; Turner, R.E.; Lasinski, B.F.; Estabrook, K.G.

1983-01-25

Plasma size is an important parameter in wavelength-scaling experiments because it determines both the threshold and potential gain for a variety of laser-plasma instabilities. Most experiments to date have of necessity produced relatively small plasmas, due to laser energy and pulse-length limitations. We have discussed in detail three recent Livermore experiments which had large enough plasmas that some instability thresholds were exceeded or approached. Our evidence for Raman scatter, filamentation, and the two-plasmon decay instability needs to be confirmed in experiments which measure several instability signatures simultaneously, and which produce more quantitative information about the local density and temperature profiles than we have today.

Interplay of Laser-Plasma Interactions and Inertial Fusion Hydrodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strozzi, D. J.; Bailey, D. S.; Michel, P.; Divol, L.; Sepke, S. M.

2017-01-01

The effects of laser-plasma interactions (LPI) on the dynamics of inertial confinement fusion hohlraums are investigated in this work via a new approach that self-consistently couples reduced LPI models into radiation-hydrodynamics numerical codes. The interplay between hydrodynamics and LPI—specifically stimulated Raman scatter and crossed-beam energy transfer (CBET)—mostly occurs via momentum and energy deposition into Langmuir and ion acoustic waves. This spatially redistributes energy coupling to the target, which affects the background plasma conditions and thus, modifies laser propagation. In conclusion, this model shows reduced CBET and significant laser energy depletion by Langmuir waves, which reduce the discrepancy between modeling and data from hohlraum experiments on wall x-ray emission and capsule implosion shape.

Collisionless energy absorption in the short-pulse intense laser-cluster interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kundu, M.; Bauer, D.

2006-01-01

In a previous paper [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 123401 (2006)] we have shown by means of three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and a simple rigid-sphere model that nonlinear resonance absorption is the dominant collisionless absorption mechanism in the intense, short-pulse laser cluster interaction. In this paper we present a more detailed account of the matter. In particular we show that the absorption efficiency is almost independent of the laser polarization. In the rigid-sphere model, the absorbed energy increases by many orders of magnitude at a certain threshold laser intensity. The particle-in-cell results display maximum fractional absorption around the same intensity. We calculate the threshold intensity and show that it is underestimated by the common overbarrier ionization estimate

Towards modeling of nonlinear laser-plasma interactions with hydrocodes: The thick-ray approach

Science.gov (United States)

Colaïtis, A.; Duchateau, G.; Nicolaï, P.; Tikhonchuk, V.

2014-03-01

This paper deals with the computation of laser beam intensity in large-scale radiative hydrocodes applied to the modeling of nonlinear laser-plasma interactions (LPIs) in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). The paraxial complex geometrical optics (PCGO) is adapted for light waves in an inhomogeneous medium and modified to include the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption and the ponderomotive force. This thick-ray model is compared to the standard ray-tracing (RT) approach, both in the chic code. The PCGO model leads to different power deposition patterns and better diffraction modeling compared to standard RT codes. The intensity-reconstruction technique used in RT codes to model nonlinear LPI leads to artificial filamentation and fails to reproduce realistic ponderomotive self-focusing distances, intensity amplifications, and density channel depletions, whereas PCGO succeeds. Bundles of Gaussian thick rays can be used to model realistic non-Gaussian ICF beams. The PCGO approach is expected to improve the accuracy of ICF simulations and serve as a basis to implement diverse LPI effects in large-scale hydrocodes.

Studies of intense-laser plasma instabilities

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Láska, Leoš; Krása, Josef; Badziak, J.; Jungwirth, Karel; Krouský, Eduard; Margarone, Daniele; Parys, P.

2013-01-01

Roč. 272, May (2013), 94-98 ISSN 0169-4332 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 7E09092; GA MŠk(CZ) LC528; GA AV ČR IAA100100715 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100523 Keywords : laser plasma instabilities * self-generated magnetic field * longitudinal structure of the expanding plasma Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 2.538, year: 2013

Subsurface plasma in beam of continuous CO2-laser

Science.gov (United States)

Danytsikov, Y. V.; Dymshakov, V. A.; Lebedev, F. V.; Pismennyy, V. D.; Ryazanov, A. V.

1986-03-01

Experiments performed at the Institute of Atomic Energy established the conditions for formation of subsurface plasma in substances by laser radiation and its characteristics. A quasi-continuous CO2 laser emitting square pulses of 0.1 to 1.0 ms duration and 1 to 10 kW power as well as a continuous CO2 laser served as radiation sources. Radiation was focused on spots 0.1 to 0.5 mm in diameter and maintained at levels ensuring constant power density during the interaction time, while the temperature of the target surface was measured continuously. Metals, graphite and dielectric materials were tested with laser action taking place in air N2 + O2 mixtures, Ar or He atmosphere under pressures of 0.01 to 1.0 atm. Data on radiation intensity thresholds for evaporation and plasma formation were obtained. On the basis of these thresholds, combined with data on energy balance and the temperature profile in plasma layers, a universal state diagram was constructed for subsurface plasma with nonquantified surface temperature and radiation intensity coordinates.

Numerical simulation of filamentation in laser-plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicholas, D.J.; Sajjadi, S.G.

1986-01-01

Numerical studies of beam filamentation in laser-produced plasma are presented. This involves the numerical solution of the parabolic wave equation, known as the Schroedinger equation, coupled with the thermal transport equations for both ions and electrons, in two dimensions. The solution of the resulting equation with non-linear refractive index due to thermal and pondermotive forces, shows self-focusing and a variety of strong aberration effects. Intensity amplification at the final focus is found to be between one and two orders of magnitude greater than the initial beam intensity, governed in general by diffraction and aberration effects within the beam. (author)

Numerical simulation of filamentation in laser-plasma interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nicholas, D.J.; Sajjadi, S.G.

1986-05-14

Numerical studies of beam filamentation in laser-produced plasma are presented. This involves the numerical solution of the parabolic wave equation, known as the Schroedinger equation, coupled with the thermal transport equations for both ions and electrons, in two dimensions. The solution of the resulting equation with non-linear refractive index due to thermal and pondermotive forces, shows self-focusing and a variety of strong aberration effects. Intensity amplification at the final focus is found to be between one and two orders of magnitude greater than the initial beam intensity, governed in general by diffraction and aberration effects within the beam.

Laser-pulsed Plasma Chemistry: Laser-initiated Plasma Oxidation Of Niobium

OpenAIRE

Marks R.F.; Pollak R.A.; Avouris Ph.; Lin C.T.; Thefaine Y.J.

1983-01-01

We report the first observation of the chemical modification of a solid surface exposed to an ambient gas plasma initiated by the interaction of laser radiation with the same surface. A new technique, which we designate laser-pulsed plasma chemistry (LPPC), is proposed for activating heterogeneous chemical reactions at solid surfaces in a gaseous ambient by means of a plasma initiated by laser radiation. Results for niobium metal in one atmosphere oxygen demonstrate single-pulse, self-limitin...

Continuation of full-scale three-dimensional numerical experiments on high-intensity particle and laser beam-matter interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mori, Warren, B.

2012-12-01

We present results from the grant entitled, Continuation of full-scale three-dimensional numerical experiments on high-intensity particle and laser beam-matter interactions. The research significantly advanced the understanding of basic high-energy density science (HEDS) on ultra intense laser and particle beam plasma interactions. This advancement in understanding was then used to to aid in the quest to make 1 GeV to 500 GeV plasma based accelerator stages. The work blended basic research with three-dimensions fully nonlinear and fully kinetic simulations including full-scale modeling of ongoing or planned experiments. The primary tool was three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The simulations provided a test bed for theoretical ideas and models as well as a method to guide experiments. The research also included careful benchmarking of codes against experiment. High-fidelity full-scale modeling provided a means to extrapolate parameters into regimes that were not accessible to current or near term experiments, thereby allowing concepts to be tested with confidence before tens to hundreds of millions of dollars were spent building facilities. The research allowed the development of a hierarchy of PIC codes and diagnostics that is one of the most advanced in the world.

31. European Conference on Laser Interaction with Matter. Book of abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

The ECLIM conferences on the field of high intensity laser-matter interactions. In this year has the 50th anniversary of Maiman's first laser. ECLIM is a conference for all types of laser-matter interactions, especially for those occurring at high power. New lasers, new ideas are traditionally welcome. Applications as inertial fusion energy have been the driving force in the last decades towards increasing laser intensity, and toward the discovery of new, nonlinear interactions. This time the organizers want to open the doors even broader toward short-pulse laser-plasma interactions and attophysics, organizing even special session for the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI). ECLIM is this time hosted the first time in Hungary, one of the sites of the future's great undertaking, the ELI laser. (S.I.)

Probing ultrafast dynamics of solid-density plasma generated by high-contrast intense laser pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Jana, Kamalesh; Blackman, David R.; Shaikh, Moniruzzaman; Lad, Amit D.; Sarkar, Deep; Dey, Indranuj; Robinson, Alex P. L.; Pasley, John; Ravindra Kumar, G.

2018-01-01

We present ultrafast dynamics of solid-density plasma created by high-contrast (picosecond contrast ˜10-9), high-intensity (˜4 × 1018 W/cm2) laser pulses using time-resolved pump-probe Doppler spectrometry. Experiments show a rapid rise in blue-shift at early time delay (2-4.3 ps) followed by a rapid fall (4.3-8.3 ps) and then a slow rise in blue-shift at later time delays (>8.3 ps). Simulations show that the early-time observations, specifically the absence of any red-shifting of the reflected probe, can only be reproduced if the front surface is unperturbed by the laser pre-pulse at the moment that the high intensity pulse arrives. A flexible diagnostic which is capable of diagnosing the presence of low-levels of pre-plasma formation would be useful for potential applications in laser-produced proton and ion production, such as cancer therapy and security imaging.

Intensity limits for propagation of 0.527 μm laser beams through large-scale-length plasmas for inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemann, C.; Divol, L.; Froula, D.H.; Gregori, G.; Jones, O.; Kirkwood, R.K.; MacKinnon, A.J.; Meezan, N.B.; Moody, J.D.; Sorce, C.; Suter, L.J.; Glenzer, S.H.; Bahr, R.; Seka, W.

2005-01-01

We have established the intensity limits for propagation of a frequency-doubled (2ω, 527 nm) high intensity interaction beam through an underdense large-scale-length plasma. We observe good beam transmission at laser intensities at or below 2x10 14 W/cm 2 and a strong reduction at intensities up to 10 15 W/cm 2 due to the onset of parametric scattering instabilities. We show that temporal beam smoothing by spectral dispersion allows a factor of 2 higher intensities while keeping the beam spray constant, which establishes frequency-doubled light as an option for ignition and burn in inertial confinement fusion experiments

Femtosecond self-reconfiguration of laser-induced plasma patterns in dielectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Déziel, Jean-Luc; Dubé, Louis J.; Messaddeq, Sandra H.; Messaddeq, Younès; Varin, Charles

2018-05-01

Laser-induced modification of transparent solids by intense femtosecond laser pulses allows fast integration of nanophotonic and nanofluidic devices with controlled optical properties. Experimental observations suggest that the local and dynamic nature of the interactions between light and the transient plasma plays an important role during fabrication. Current analytical models neglect these aspects and offer limited coverage of nanograting formation on dielectric surfaces. In this paper, we present a self-consistent dynamic treatment of the plasma buildup and its interaction with light within a three-dimensional electromagnetic framework. The main finding of this work is that local light-plasma interactions are responsible for the reorientation of laser-induced periodic plasma patterns with respect to the incident light polarization, when a certain energy density threshold is reached. Plasma reconfiguration occurs within a single laser pulse, on a femtosecond time scale. Moreover, we show that the reconfigured subwavelength plasma structures actually grow into the bulk of the sample, which agrees with the experimental observations of self-organized volume nanogratings. We find that mode coupling of the incident and transversely scattered light with the periodic plasma structures is sufficient to initiate the growth and self-organization of the pattern inside the medium with a characteristic half-wavelength periodicity.

Relativistic self-focusing of ultra-high intensity X-ray laser beams in warm quantum plasma with upward density profile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habibi, M.; Ghamari, F.

2014-01-01

The results of a numerical study of high-intensity X-ray laser beam interaction with warm quantum plasma (WQP) are presented. By means of an upward ramp density profile combined with quantum factors specially the Fermi velocity, we have demonstrated significant relativistic self-focusing (RSF) of a Gaussian electromagnetic beam in the WQP where the Fermi temperature term in the dielectric function is important. For this purpose, we have considered the quantum hydrodynamics model that modifies refractive index of inhomogeneous WQPs with the inclusion of quantum correction through the quantum statistical and diffraction effects in the relativistic regime. Also, to better illustration of the physical difference between warm and cold quantum plasmas and their effect on the RSF, we have derived the envelope equation governing the spot size of X-ray laser beam in Q-plasmas. In addition to the upward ramp density profile, we have found that the quantum effects would be caused much higher oscillation and better focusing of X-ray laser beam in the WQP compared to that of cold quantum case. Our computational results reveal the importance of the use of electrons density profile and Fermi speed in enhancing self-focusing of laser beam

Laser-induced plasmas as an analytical source for quantitative analysis of gaseous and aerosol systems: Fundamentals of plasma-particle interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Diwakar, Prasoon K.

2009-11-01

Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a relatively new analytical diagnostic technique which has gained serious attention in recent past due to its simplicity, robustness, and portability and multi-element analysis capabilities. LIBS has been used successfully for analysis of elements in different media including solids, liquids and gases. Since 1963, when the first breakdown study was reported, to 1983, when the first LIBS experiments were reported, the technique has come a long way, but the majority of fundamental understanding of the processes that occur has taken place in last few years, which has propelled LIBS in the direction of being a well established analytical technique. This study, which mostly focuses on LIBS involving aerosols, has been able to unravel some of the mysteries and provide knowledge that will be valuable to LIBS community as a whole. LIBS processes can be broken down to three basic steps, namely, plasma formation, analyte introduction, and plasma-analyte interactions. In this study, these three steps have been investigated in laser-induced plasma, focusing mainly on the plasma-particle interactions. Understanding plasma-particle interactions and the fundamental processes involved is important in advancing laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy as a reliable and accurate analytical technique. Critical understanding of plasma-particle interactions includes study of the plasma evolution, analyte atomization, and the particle dissociation and diffusion. In this dissertation, temporal and spatial studies have been done to understand the fundamentals of the LIBS processes including the breakdown of gases by the laser pulse, plasma inception mechanisms, plasma evolution, analyte introduction and plasma-particle interactions and their influence on LIBS signal. Spectral measurements were performed in a laser-induced plasma and the results reveal localized perturbations in the plasma properties in the vicinity of the analyte species, for

Betatron radiation from a laser-plasma accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnell, Michael

2014-01-01

The presented thesis investigates the processes which lead to the generation of highenergetic X-ray radiation, also known as ''betatron radiation'', by means of a relativistic laser-plasma interaction. The generated betatron radiation has been extensively characterized by measuring its radiated intensity, energy distribution, far-field beam profile, and source size. It was shown for the first time that betatron radiation can be used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to retrieve very subtle information on the electron acceleration dynamics within the plasma wave. Furthermore, a compact polarimeter setup has been developed in a unique experiment in which the polarization state of the laser-plasma generated betatron radiation was measured in single-shot mode. This lead to a detailed study of the orientation of the electron trajectory within the plasma interaction. By controlling the injection of the electrons into the plasma wave it was demonstrated that one can tune the polarization state of the emitted X-rays. This result is very promising for further applications, particularly for feeding the electrons into an additional conventional accelerator or a permanent magnet based undulator for the production of intense X-ray beams. During this work, the experimental setup for accelerating electrons and generating high-energy X-ray beams was consistently improved: to enhance both its reliability and stability. Subsequently, the betatron radiation was used as a reliable diagnostic tool of the electron dynamics within the plasma. Parallel to the experimental work, 3-Dimensional Particle-In-Cell (3D-PlC) simulations were performed together with colleagues from the University of Duesseldorf. The simulations included the electron acceleration and the X-ray generation processes together with the recoil force acting on an accelerating electron caused by the emitted radiation during which one can also ascertain its polarization state. The simulations proved to be in good agreement

Electron trajectory evaluation in laser-plasma interaction for effective output beam

Science.gov (United States)

Zobdeh, P.; Sadighi-Bonabi, R.; Afarideh, H.

2010-06-01

Using the ellipsoidal cavity model, the quasi-monoenergetic electron output beam in laser-plasma interaction is described. By the cavity regime the quality of electron beam is improved in comparison with those generated from other methods such as periodic plasma wave field, spheroidal cavity regime and plasma channel guided acceleration. Trajectory of electron motion is described as hyperbolic, parabolic or elliptic paths. We find that the self-generated electron bunch has a smaller energy width and more effective gain in energy spectrum. Initial condition for the ellipsoidal cavity is determined by laser-plasma parameters. The electron trajectory is influenced by its position, energy and cavity electrostatic potential.

Progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science VI

CERN Document Server

Yamanouchi, Kaoru; Bandrauk, André D

2010-01-01

The PUILS series delivers up-to-date reviews of progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science, a newly emerging interdisciplinary research field spanning atomic and molecular physics, molecular science, and optical science, which has been stimulated by the recent developments in ultrafast laser technologies. Each volume compiles peer-reviewed articles authored by researchers at the forefront of each their own subfields of UILS. Every chapter opens with an overview of the topics to be discussed, so that researchers unfamiliar to the subfield, as well as graduate students, can grasp the importance and attractions of the research topic at hand; these are followed by reports of cutting-edge discoveries. This sixth volume covers a broad range of topics from this interdisciplinary research field, focusing on responses of molecules to ultrashort intense laser pulses, generation and characterization of attosecond pulses and high-order harmonics, and filamentation and laser-plasma interaction.

Plasma wave amplitude measurement created by guided laser wakefield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wojda, Franck

2010-01-01

The interaction of an intense laser pulse of short duration with a plasma produces a plasma wave with large amplitude in its wake, which is associated with a longitudinal electric field. It can be used to accelerate relativistic electrons injected into the wave to energies in the GeV range over distances of the order of a few centimeters, short compared to acceleration lengths in conventional accelerators. The control of the electron beam characteristics during the acceleration process is fundamental for achieving a usable laser-plasma acceleration stage. The main result of this thesis is the creation and characterization of a plasma wave in a weakly nonlinear regime over a length of several centimeters. Capillary tubes are used to guide the laser beam over these distances, while maintaining a large enough intensity (∼ 10 17 W/cm 2 ). The guided laser beam ionizes the gas in the tube and creates the plasma wave. A diagnostic based on the modification of the laser pulse spectrum was used to determine the amplitude of the plasma wave along the tube. The amplitude of the plasma wave was studied as a function of gas filling pressure, length of the capillary and laser energy. Experimental results are compared; they are in excellent agreement with analytical results and modeling. They show that the electric field associated with the plasma wave is between 1 and 10 GV/m over a length of up to 8 cm. This work has demonstrated the ability to create a controlled plasma wave in a weakly nonlinear regime. (author)

Generation of mega-electron-volt electron beams by an ultrafast intense laser pulse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xiaofang; Saleh, Ned; Krishnan, Mohan; Wang Haiwen; Backus, Sterling; Murnane, Margaret; Kapteyn, Henry; Umstadter, Donald; Wang Quandong; Shen Baifei

2003-01-01

Mega-electron-volt (MeV) electron emission from the interaction of an ultrafast (τ∼29 fs), intense (>10 18 W/cm 2 ) laser pulse with underdense plasmas has been studied. A beam of MeV electrons with a divergence angle as small as 1 deg. is observed in the forward direction, which is correlated with relativistic filamentation of the laser pulse in plasmas. A novel net-energy-gain mechanism is proposed for electron acceleration resulting from the relativistic filamentation and beam breakup. These results suggest an approach for generating a beam of femtosecond, MeV electrons at a kilohertz repetition rate with a compact ultrafast intense laser system

Relativistic derivation of the ponderomotive force produced by two intense laser fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stroscio, M.A.

1985-01-01

The ponderomotive force plays a fundamental role in the absorption of laser light on self-consistent plasma density profiles, in multiple-photon ionization, and in intense field electrodynamics. The relativistic corrections to the ponderomotive force of a transversely polarized electromagnetic wave lead to an approximately 20-percent reduction in the single particle ponderomotive force produced by a 10-γm 10 16 -W/cm 2 laser field. Recent experimental investigations are based on using two intense laser fields to produce desired lasermatter interactions. This paper presents the first derivation of the nonlinear relativistic ponderomotive force produced by two intense laser fields. The results demonstrate that relativistic ponderomotive forces are not additive

The effect of high intensity laser propagation instabilities on channel formation in underdense plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najmudin, Z.; Krushelnick, K.; Tatarakis, M.; Clark, E.L.; Danson, C.N.; Malka, V.; Neely, D.; Santala, M.I.K.; Dangor, A.E.

2003-01-01

Experiments have been performed using high power laser pulses (up to 50 TW) focused into underdense helium plasmas (n e ≤5x10 19 cm -3 ). Using shadowgraphy, it is observed that the laser pulse can produce irregular density channels, which exhibit features such as long wavelength hosing and 'sausage-like' self-focusing instabilities. This phenomenon is a high intensity effect and the characteristic period of oscillation of these instabilities is typically found to correspond to the time required for ions to move radially out of the region of highest intensity

Anomalous intensities of Ne-like ion resonance line in plasma produced by picosecond laser pulse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bryunetkin, B.A.; Skobelev, I.Yu.; Faenov, A.Ya.; Kalashnikov, M.P.; Nikles, P.; Shnyupep, M.

1995-01-01

An anomalous structure of intensities of spectral lines of CuXX and GeXXX Ne-like ions emitted by plasma produced by laser pulses of picosecond duration and up to 2x10 18 W/cm 2 flux density is recorded for the first time. It is shown that spectrum maximum of these ions is emitted from a plasma region whose density is significantly above the critical value of the length of heating laser radiation wave. 9 refs.; 3 figs

Study of electrons distribution produced by laser-plasma interaction on x-ray generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikzad, L.; Sadighi-Bonabi, R.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. In the present work, X-ray beams are generated from interaction of relativistic electron beams produced by interaction of 500 mJ, 30 femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser pulses with thin solid targets such as lead, molybdenum and tungsten. After interaction of an intense pulsed laser with He gas-jet, a micron-scale laser produced plasma, creates and accelerates electron bunches, which propagate in the ion channel produced in the wake of the laser pulse. When an electron bunch is injected into the bubble in phase with its field, it will gain relativistic energies within very short distance. These accelerated electrons with Megaelectron-Volt energy and different distributions, can interact with targets to generate X-ray radiation with Kiloelectron-Volt energy, providing to be close enough to the gas-jet, where the relativistic accelerated electrons exist. Here, to determine the results, Monte Carlo simulation (MCNP-4C code) is employed to present Bremsstrahlung and characteristic X-ray production by quasi-Maxwellian and quasi-monoenergetic electron beams for three samples with different thicknesses. The outcome shows that for one specific electron spectrum and one definite target, the energy which the maximum characteristic x-ray flux takes place, varies with thickness. Also, for each material the energy which this maximum happens is constant for all thicknesses, for both produced electron spectra. For each sample, x-ray flux is calculated for different thicknesses and the thickness which the maximum characteristic x-ray flux occurs is obtained. Besides, it is concluded that by increasing the atomic number of the target, maximum X-ray flux moves towards higher energy. Also, comparison of the results for three targets and two electron distributions shows that by using quasi-monoenergetic electron spectra, more intense and narrower characteristic X-ray can be produced compared to the quasi-Maxwellian electron distribution, almost for all

A plasma solenoid driven by an Orbital Angular Momentum laser beam

OpenAIRE

Nuter, R.; Korneev, Ph.; Thiele, I.; Tikhonchuk, V.

2018-01-01

A tens of Tesla quasi-static axial magnetic field can be produced in the interaction of a short intense laser beam carrying an Orbital Angular Momentum with an underdense plasma. Three-dimensional "Particle In Cell" simulations and analytical model demonstrate that orbital angular momentum is transfered from a tightly focused radially polarized laser beam to electrons without any dissipative effect. A theoretical model describing the balistic interaction of electrons with laser shows that par...

A plasma microlens for ultrashort high power lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Katzir, Yiftach; Eisenmann, Shmuel; Ferber, Yair; Zigler, Arie; Hubbard, Richard F.

2009-07-01

We present a technique for generation of miniature plasma lens system that can be used for focusing and collimating a high intensity femtosecond laser pulse. The plasma lens was created by a nanosecond laser, which ablated a capillary entrance. The spatial configuration of the ablated plasma focused a high intensity femtosecond laser pulse. This configuration offers versatility in the plasma lens small f-number for extremely tight focusing of high power lasers with no damage threshold restrictions of regular optical components.

A plasma microlens for ultrashort high power lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katzir, Yiftach; Eisenmann, Shmuel; Ferber, Yair; Zigler, Arie; Hubbard, Richard F.

2009-01-01

We present a technique for generation of miniature plasma lens system that can be used for focusing and collimating a high intensity femtosecond laser pulse. The plasma lens was created by a nanosecond laser, which ablated a capillary entrance. The spatial configuration of the ablated plasma focused a high intensity femtosecond laser pulse. This configuration offers versatility in the plasma lens small f-number for extremely tight focusing of high power lasers with no damage threshold restrictions of regular optical components.

Laser plasma physics in shock ignition – transition from collisional to collisionless absorption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klimo O.

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Shock Ignition is considered as a relatively robust and efficient approach to inertial confinement fusion. A strong converging shock, which is used to ignite the fuel, is launched by a high power laser pulse with intensity in the range of 1015 − 1016 W/cm2 (at the wavelength of 351 nm. In the lower end of this intensity range the interaction is dominated by collisions while the parametric instabilities are playing a secondary role. This is manifested in a relatively weak reflectivity and efficient electron heating. The interaction is dominated by collective effects at the upper edge of the intensity range. The stimulated Brillouin and Raman scattering (SBS and SRS respectively take place in a less dense plasma and cavitation provides an efficient collisionless absorption mechanism. The transition from collisional to collisionless absorption in laser plasma interactions at higher intensities is studied here with the help of large scale one-dimensional Particle-in-Cell (PIC simulations. The relation between the collisional and collisionless processes is manifested in the energy spectrum of electrons transporting the absorbed laser energy and in the spectrum of the reflected laser light.

Particle-in-cell simulations of high energy electron production by intense laser pulses in underdense plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Susumu, Kato; Eisuke, Miura; Kazuyoshi, Koyama; Mitsumori, Tanimoto; Masahiro, Adachi

2004-01-01

The propagation of intense laser pulses and the generation of high energy electrons from underdense plasmas are investigated using two dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. When the ratio of the laser power to the critical power of relativistic self-focusing gets the optimal value, the laser pulse propagates in a steady way and electrons have maximum energies. (author)

Particle-in-cell simulations of high energy electron production by intense laser pulses in underdense plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Susumu, Kato; Eisuke, Miura; Kazuyoshi, Koyama [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan); Mitsumori, Tanimoto [Meisei Univ., Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Hino, Tokyo (Japan); Masahiro, Adachi [Hiroshima Univ., Graduate school of Advanced Science of Matter, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima (Japan)

2004-07-01

The propagation of intense laser pulses and the generation of high energy electrons from underdense plasmas are investigated using two dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. When the ratio of the laser power to the critical power of relativistic self-focusing gets the optimal value, the laser pulse propagates in a steady way and electrons have maximum energies. (author)

Angular distributions of plasma edge velocity and integrated intensity: Update on specific impulse for Ablative Laser Propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jun; Pakhomov, Andrew V.

2005-04-01

This work concludes our discussion of the image processing technique developed earlier for determination of specific impulse (Isp) for Ablative Laser Propulsion (ALP). The plasma plumes are recorded with a time-resolved intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera. The plasma was formed in vacuum (˜ 3×10-3 Torr) by focusing output pulses of a laser system (100-ps pulsewidth at 532 nm wavelength and ˜35 mJ energy) on surfaces of C (graphite), Al, Si, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sn, and Pb elements. Angular profiles for integrated intensity and plasma expansion velocity were determined for the tested elements. Such profiles were used further for assessment of specific impulse. Specific impulses derived from angular distributions of plasma expansion velocity and integral intensity appeared in excellent agreement with the data derived earlier from force measurements.

Angular distributions of plasma edge velocity and integrated intensity: Update on specific impulse for Ablative Laser Propulsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Jun; Pakhomov, Andrew V.

2005-01-01

This work concludes our discussion of the image processing technique developed earlier for determination of specific impulse (Isp) for Ablative Laser Propulsion (ALP). The plasma plumes are recorded with a time-resolved intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera. The plasma was formed in vacuum (∼ 3x10-3 Torr) by focusing output pulses of a laser system (100-ps pulsewidth at 532 nm wavelength and ∼35 mJ energy) on surfaces of C (graphite), Al, Si, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sn, and Pb elements. Angular profiles for integrated intensity and plasma expansion velocity were determined for the tested elements. Such profiles were used further for assessment of specific impulse. Specific impulses derived from angular distributions of plasma expansion velocity and integral intensity appeared in excellent agreement with the data derived earlier from force measurements

Relativistic magnetic reconnection driven by a moderately intense laser interacting with a micro-plasma-slab

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Longqing; Shen, Baifei; Pukhov, Alexander; Fülöp, Tünde

2017-10-01

Magnetic reconnection (MR) in the relativistic regime is generally thought to be responsible for powering rapid bursts of non-thermal radiation in astrophysical events. It is therefore of significant importance to study how the field energy is transferred to the plasma to power the observed emission. However, due to the difficulty in making direct measurements in astrophysical systems or achieving relativistic MR in laboratory environments, the particle acceleration is usually studied using fully kinetic PIC simulations. Here we present a numerical study of a readily available (TW-mJ-class) laser interacting with a micro-scale plasma slab. The simulations show when the electron beams excited on both sides of the slab approach the end of the plasma structure, ultrafast relativistic MR occurs. As the field topology changes, the explosive release of magnetic energy results in emission of relativistic electron jets with cut-off energy 12 MeV. The proposed novel scenario can be straightforwardly implemented in experiments, and might significantly improve the understanding of fundamental questions such as field dissipation and particle acceleration in relativistic MR. This work is supported by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the European Research Council (ERC-2014-CoG Grant 64712).

Ion collisions and deceleration in laser-produced plasma-jet interaction with walls

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Renner, Oldřich; Krouský, Eduard; Liska, R.; Šmíd, M.; Larroche, O.; Dalimier, E.

2011-01-01

Roč. 56, - (2011), T165-T174 ISSN 0001-7043 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC528; GA ČR GAP205/10/0814 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100523 Keywords : laser-produced plasma jets * plasma-wall interaction * plasma diagnostics * X-ray spectroscopy * fluid and kinetic plasma simulation Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics

Faraday cup measurements of a laser-induced plasma for a laser-proton acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Seong Hee; Jeong, Young Uk; Lee, Ki Tae

2006-01-01

Experiments for the generation of laser-induced protons were performed in collaboration with Advanced Photonics Research Institute (APRI). An intensity of 3 X 10 18 W/cm 2 was delivered to a 17-μm Al target, and the Faraday Cup signals of the charged particles generated by the laser-plasma interaction were measured. In this paper, we discuss the first experimental results of laser-induced proton generation using the APRI laser and report on the feasibility of current measurement for charged-particles when using a Faraday cup.

High-intensity laser for Ta and Ag implantation into different substrates for plasma diagnostics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cutroneo, M., E-mail: cutroneo@ujf.cas.cz [Nuclear Physics Institute, AS CR, 25068 Rez (Czech Republic); Mackova, A.; Malinsky, P. [Nuclear Physics Institute, AS CR, 25068 Rez (Czech Republic); Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, J.E. Purkinje University, Ceske mladeze 8, 400 96 Usti nad Labem (Czech Republic); Matousek, J. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, J.E. Purkinje University, Ceske mladeze 8, 400 96 Usti nad Labem (Czech Republic); Torrisi, L. [Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Messina University, V.le F.S. d’Alcontres 31, 98166 S. Agata, Messina (Italy); Ullschmied, J. [Institute of Physics, ASCR, v.v.i., 182 21 Prague 8 (Czech Republic)

2015-07-01

High-intensity lasers generating non-equilibrium plasma, can be employed to accelerate ions in the keV–MeV region, useful for many applications. In the present work, we performed study of ion implantation into different substrates by using a high-intensity laser at the PALS laboratory in Prague. Multi-energy ions generated by plasma from Ta and Ag targets were implanted into polyethylene and metallic substrates (Al, Ti) at energies of tens of keV per charge state. The ion emission was monitored online using time-of-flight detectors and electromagnetic deflection systems. Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) was used to characterise the elemental composition in the implanted substrates by ion plasma emission and to provide the implanted ion depth profiling. These last measurements enable offline plasma characterisation and provide information on the useful potentiality of multi-ion species and multi-energy ion implantation into different substrates. XPS analysis gives information on the chemical bonds and their modifications in the first superficial implanted layers. The depth distributions of implanted Ta and Ag ions were compared with the theoretical ones achieved by using the SRIM-2012 simulation code.

Time-resolved plasma spectroscopy of thin foils heated by a relativistic-intensity short-pulse laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Audebert, P.; Gauthier, J.-C.; Shepherd, R.; Fournier, K.B.; Price, D.; Lee, R.W.; Springer, P.; Peyrusse, O.; Klein, L.

2002-01-01

Time-resolved K-shell x-ray spectra are recorded from sub-100 nm aluminum foils irradiated by 150-fs laser pulses at relativistic intensities of Iλ 2 =2x10 18 W μm 2 /cm 2 . The thermal penetration depth is greater than the foil thickness in these targets so that uniform heating takes place at constant density before hydrodynamic motion occurs. The high-contrast, high-intensity laser pulse, broad spectral band, and short time resolution utilized in this experiment permit a simplified interpretation of the dynamical evolution of the radiating matter. The observed spectrum displays two distinct phases. At early time, ≤500 fs after detecting target emission, a broad quasicontinuous spectral feature with strong satellite emission from multiply excited levels is seen. At a later time, the He-like resonance line emission is dominant. The time-integrated data is in accord with previous studies with time resolution greater than 1 ps. The early time satellite emission is shown to be a signature of an initial large area, high density, low-temperature plasma created in the foil by fast electrons accelerated by the intense radiation field in the laser spot. We conclude that, because of this early time phenomenon and contrary to previous predictions, a short, high-intensity laser pulse incident on a thin foil does not create a uniform hot and dense plasma. The heating mechanism has been studied as a function of foil thickness, laser pulse length, and intensity. In addition, the spectra are found to be in broad agreement with a hydrodynamic expansion code postprocessed by a collisional-radiative model based on superconfiguration average rates and on the unresolved transition array formalism

Geometrical optimization of an ellipsoidal plasma mirror toward tight focusing of ultra-intense laser pulse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kon, A; Nakatsutsumi, M; Chen, Z L; Kodama, R; Buffechoux, S; Fuchs, J; Jin, Z

2010-01-01

We developed for the first time, very compact ( 3 ) extremely low f-number (f/number = 0.4) confocal ellipsoid focusing systems. Direct measurement of the laser focal spot using a low-energy laser beam indicates 1/5 reduction of the spot size compared to standard focusing (using a f/2.7 optics). Such mirror is thus able to achieve significant enhancement of the focused laser intensity without modifying the laser system itself. The mirror is then used under plasma mirror regime which enables us to compactify the size, to liberate us from the anxiety of protecting the optics from target debris after shots, and to enhance the temporal contrast. In this paper, we focus our attention to designing and optimizing the geometry of such innovative plasma optics.

The utilization of high-intensity lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabre, E.

1988-01-01

The 1988 progress report of the laboratory for the Utilization of High-Intensity Lasers (Polytechnic School, France), is presented. The research program is focused on the laser-plasma physics, on the generation of high pressures by means of laser shock heating, on the laser spectroscopy and on the laser implosions. Numerical simulation codes are developed. Concerning the atomic physics, the investigations on dense plasmas and the x-laser research developments are carried out. The research activities of the laboratory teams, the published papers, the national and international cooperations, are given [fr

Proton radiography of magnetic field in laser produced plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Pape, S.; Patel, P.; Chen, S.; Town, R.; Mackinnon, A.

2009-01-01

Electromagnetic fields generated by the interaction with plasmas of long-pulse laser beams relevant to inertial confinement fusion have been measure. A proton beam generated by the interaction of an ultra intense laser with a thin metallic foil is used to probe the B-fields. The proton beam then generated is temporally short (of the order of a ps), highly laminar and hence equivalent to a virtual point which makes it an ideal source for radiography. We have investigated, using face-on radiography, B fields at intensity around 10 14 W/cm 2 due to the non co-linearity of temperature and density gradients. (authors)

Laser fusion implosion and plasma interaction experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahlstrom, H.G.

1977-08-01

Results related to the propagation, absorption and scattering of laser light by both spherical and planar targets are described. The absorption measurements indicate that for intensities of interest, inverse bremsstrahlung is not the dominant absorption mechanism. The laser light scattered by the plasma is polarization dependent and provides evidence that Brillouin scattering and resonance absorption are operative. Special diagnostics have been designed and experiments have been performed to elucidate the nature of these two processes. Implosion results on glass microshell targets filled with DT gas are also summarized. These experiments are for targets intentionally operated in the portion of parameter space characteristic of exploding pusher events. Experiments have been performed over a yield range from 0 to 10 9 neutrons per event. It is shown how this data can be normalized with a simple scaling law

Ion acceleration by laser hole-boring into plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pogorelsky, I. V.; Dover, N. P.; Babzien, M.; Bell, A. R.; Dangor, A. E.; Horbury, T.; Palmer, C. A. J.; Polyanskiy, M.; Schreiber, J.; Schwartz, S.; Shkolnikov, P.; Yakimenko, V.; Najmudin, Z.

2012-01-01

By experiment and simulations, we study the interaction of an intense CO 2 laser pulse with slightly overcritical plasmas of fully ionized helium gas. Transverse optical probing is used to show a recession of the front plasma surface with an initial velocity >10 6 m/s driven by hole-boring by the laser pulse and the resulting radiation pressure driven electrostatic shocks. The collisionless shock propagates through the plasma, dissipates into an ion-acoustic solitary wave, and eventually becomes collisional as it slows further. These observations are supported by PIC simulations which prove the conclusion that monoenergetic protons observed in our earlier reported experiment with a hydrogen jet result from ion trapping and reflection from a shock wave driven through the plasma.

Interaction of a laser-breakdown plasma with a charged metallic target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasil'ev, B.I.; Grasyuk, A.Z.; Dyad'kin, A.P.; Sukhanov, A.N.

1981-01-01

A study was made of the influence of a laser plasma on the potential of an insulated conducting target. It was discovered that the target potential changed stepwise on illumination with a high-power TEA CO 2 laser. A step, ΔU, in the target potential was observed and the dependences of ΔU on the initial potential, laser radiation energy density, and geometrical dimensions of the illuminated region were determined. There was an optimal pressure of the surrounding air for which ΔU had the maximum value. The dependence of ΔU on the pressure was determined, when illuminating a target in air and in nitrogen. The temporal characteristics of the variation in ΔU were correlated with the time variation of the visible and ultraviolet luminescence from the plasma. A mechanism was proposed to explain the potential step accompanying the interaction of a laser-produced plasma with a charged metallic target

Progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science III

CERN Document Server

Yamanouchi, Kaoru; Agostini, Pierre; Ferrante, Gaetano

2008-01-01

The PUILS series presents Progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science, a newly emerging interdisciplinary research field spanning atomic and molecular physics, molecular science, and optical science. PUILS has been stimulated by the recent development of ultrafast laser technologies. Each volume contains approximately 15 chapters, authored by researchers at the forefront. Each chapter opens with an overview of the topics to be discussed, so that researchers, who are not experts in the specific topics, as well as graduate students can grasp the importance and attractions of this sub-field of research, and these are followed by reports of cutting-edge discoveries. This third volume covers a diverse range of disciplines, focusing on such topics as strong field ionization of atoms, ionization and fragmentation of molecules and clusters, generation of high-order harmonics and attosecond pulses, filamentation and laser plasma interaction, and the development of ultrashort and ultrahigh-intensity light sources.

Increase in the temperature of a laser plasma formed by two-frequency UV - IR irradiation of metal targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antipov, A A; Grasyuk, Arkadii Z; Efimovskii, S V; Kurbasov, Sergei V; Losev, Leonid L; Soskov, V I

1998-01-01

An experimental investigation was made of a laser plasma formed by successive irradiation of a metal target with 30-ps UV and IR laser pulses. The UV prepulse, of 266 nm wavelength, was of relatively low intensity (∼ 10 12 W cm -2 ), whereas the intensity of an IR pulse, of 10.6 μm wavelength, was considerably higher (∼3 x 10 14 W cm -2 ) and it was delayed by 0 - 6 ns (the optimal delay was 2 ns). Such two-frequency UV - IR irradiation produced a laser plasma with an electron temperature 5 times higher than that of a plasma created by singe-frequency IR pulses of the same (∼3 x 10 14 W cm -2 ) intensity. (interaction of laser radiation with matter. laser plasma)

Relativistic electron beam - plasma interaction with intense self-fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davidson, R.C.

1984-01-01

The major interest in the equilibrium, stability and radiation properties of relativistic electron beams and in beam-plasma interactions originates from several diverse research areas. It is well known that a many-body collection of charged particles in which there is not overall charge neutrality and/or current neutrality can be characterized by intense self-electric fields and/or self-magnetic fields. Moreover, the intense equilibrium self-fields associated with the lack of charge neutrality and/or current neutrality can have a large effect on particle trajectories and on detailed equilibrium and stability behavior. The main emphasis in Sections 9.1.2-9.1.5 of this chapter is placed on investigations of the important influence of self-fields on the equilibrium and stability properties of magnetically confined electron beam-plasma systems. Atomic processes and discrete particle interactions (binary collisions) are omitted from the analysis, and collective processes are assumed to dominate on the time and length scales of interest. Moreover, both macroscopic (Section 9.1.2) and kinetic (Sections 9.1.3-9.1.5) theoretical models are developed and used to investigate equilibrium and stability properties in straight cylindrical geometry. Several of the classical waves and instabilities characteristic of nonneutral plasmas and beam-plasma systems are analyzed in Sections 9.1.2-9.1.5, including stable surface oscillation on a nonneutral electron beam, the ion resonance instability, the diocotron instability, two-stream instabilities between beam electrons and plasma electrons and between beam electrons and plasma ions, the filamentation instability, the modified two-stream instability, etc

Nonlinear plasma wave models in 3D fluid simulations of laser-plasma interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Thomas; Berger, Richard; Arrighi, Bill; Langer, Steve; Banks, Jeffrey; Brunner, Stephan

2017-10-01

Simulations of laser-plasma interaction (LPI) in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) conditions require multi-mm spatial scales due to the typical laser beam size and durations of order 100 ps in order for numerical laser reflectivities to converge. To be computationally achievable, these scales necessitate a fluid-like treatment of light and plasma waves with a spatial grid size on the order of the light wave length. Plasma waves experience many nonlinear phenomena not naturally described by a fluid treatment, such as frequency shifts induced by trapping, a nonlinear (typically suppressed) Landau damping, and mode couplings leading to instabilities that can cause the plasma wave to decay rapidly. These processes affect the onset and saturation of stimulated Raman and Brillouin scattering, and are of direct interest to the modeling and prediction of deleterious LPI in ICF. It is not currently computationally feasible to simulate these Debye length-scale phenomena in 3D across experimental scales. Analytically-derived and/or numerically benchmarked models of processes occurring at scales finer than the fluid simulation grid offer a path forward. We demonstrate the impact of a range of kinetic processes on plasma reflectivity via models included in the LPI simulation code pF3D. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Induced Compton scattering of a laser in an inhomogeneous plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, C.S.; Tripathi, V. K.

2003-01-01

A laser propagating through a high temperature low density plasma undergoes induced Compton backscattering involving the coupling of the laser pump and the scattered electromagnetic wave via the resonant electrons or the resistive quasimode. The region of nonlinear interaction is localized due to plasma inhomogeneity. At short density scale lengths when the interaction region is strongly localized and resonant electrons quickly move out of it, the electron distribution function remains Maxwellian and Compton reflectivity is significant at laser intensity >10 16 W/cm 2 . In gentle density gradients the resonant electrons are trapped in the ponderomotive and self-consistent potential well of the quasimode as they enter the interaction region. The ones with velocity v z p (v p being the phase velocity of the ponderomotive wave propagating along z direction) are accelerated to v p while those with v z >v p are retarded to v p . Since the number of the former is more than that of the latter there is a net momentum transfer to electrons. Momentum and action conservation lead to a reflectivity, R, that initially goes as the square of pump intensity, then rises gradually at higher intensity. R decreases rapidly with v th /v p , where v th is the thermal velocity of electrons

Enhanced laser-energy coupling to dense plasmas driven by recirculating electron currents

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, R. J.; Wilson, R.; King, M.; Williamson, S. D. R.; Dance, R. J.; Armstrong, C.; Brabetz, C.; Wagner, F.; Zielbauer, B.; Bagnoud, V.; Neely, D.; McKenna, P.

2018-03-01

The absorption of laser energy and dynamics of energetic electrons in dense plasma is fundamental to a range of intense laser-driven particle and radiation generation mechanisms. We measure the total reflected and scattered laser energy as a function of intensity, distinguishing between the influence of pulse energy and focal spot size on total energy absorption, in the interaction with thin foils. We confirm a previously published scaling of absorption with intensity by variation of laser pulse energy, but find a slower scaling when changing the focal spot size. 2D particle-in-cell simulations show that the measured differences arise due to energetic electrons recirculating within the target and undergoing multiple interactions with the laser pulse, which enhances absorption in the case of large focal spots. This effect is also shown to be dependent on the laser pulse duration, the target thickness and the electron beam divergence. The parameter space over which this absorption enhancement occurs is explored via an analytical model. The results impact our understanding of the fundamental physics of laser energy absorption in solids and thus the development of particle and radiation sources driven by intense laser–solid interactions.

Guiding of laser pulses in plasma waveguides created by linearly-polarized femtosecond laser pulses

OpenAIRE

Lemos, N.; Cardoso, L.; Geada, J.; Figueira, G.; Albert, F.; Dias, J. M.

2018-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate that plasma waveguides produced with ultra-short laser pulses (sub-picosecond) in gas jets are capable of guiding high intensity laser pulses. This scheme has the unique ability of guiding a high-intensity laser pulse in a plasma waveguide created by the same laser system in the very simple and stable experimental setup. A hot plasma column was created by a femtosecond class laser that expands into an on-axis parabolic low density profile suitable to act as a wav...

Guiding of short, intense laser pulses through solid guides and preformed plasma channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borghesi, M.; Mackinnon, A.J.; Gaillard, R.; Malka, G.; Vickers, C.; Willi, O.; Blanchot, N.; Miquel, J.L.; Canaud, B.; Davies, J.R.; Malka, G.; Offenberger, A.A.

2000-01-01

In a series of experiments carried out at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton (UK) and at the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Limeil (France), various techniques of guiding ultra-intense laser pulses over distances exceeding the natural diffraction length were investigated. Efficient guiding was demonstrated both through density channels formed in an underdense plasma by an intense prepulse and through solid guides (hollow capillary tubes). Indication of collimated fast electron propagation though solid targets has also been obtained. (authors)

Investigation of the effect of laser parameters on the target, plume and plasma behavior during and after laser-solid interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Stancalie, A.; Ciobanu, S. S.; Sporea, D.

2017-09-01

A detailed theoretical and experimental analysis is performed for a wide range of laser operating conditions, typical for laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation (LA) experiments on copper metallic target. The plasma parameters were experimentally estimated from the line intensities ratio which reflects the relative population of neutral excited species in the plasma. In the case of LA experiments the highest temperature observed was 8210 ± 370 K. In case of LIBS measurements, a maximum temperature of 8123 K has been determined. The experimental results are in good agreement with a stationary, hydrodynamic model. We have theoretically investigated the plasma emission based on the generalized collisional-radiative model as implemented in the ADAS interconnected set of computer codes and data collections. The ionic population density distribution over the ground and excited states into the cooper plasma is graphically displayed as output from the code. The theoretical line intensity ratios are in good agreement with experimental values for the electron density and temperature range measured in our experiments.

Interaction of cw CO2 laser radiation with plasma near-metallic substrate surface

Science.gov (United States)

Azharonok, V. V.; Astapchik, S. A.; Zabelin, Alexandre M.; Golubev, Vladimir S.; Golubev, V. S.; Grezev, A. N.; Filatov, Igor V.; Chubrik, N. I.; Shimanovich, V. D.

2000-07-01

Optical and spectroscopic methods were used in studying near-surface plasma that is formed under the effect CW CO2 laser of (2- 5)x106W/cm2 power density upon stainless steel in He and Ar shielding gases. The variation of plume spatial structure with time has been studied, the outflow of gas-vapor jets from the interaction area has been characterized. The spectra of plasma plume pulsations have been obtained for the frequency range Δf = 0-1 MHz. The temperature and electron concentration of plasma plume have been found under radiation effect upon the target of stainless steel. Consideration has been given to the most probable mechanisms of CW laser radiation-metal non-stationary interaction.

PIC Simulation of Laser Plasma Interactions with Temporal Bandwidths

Science.gov (United States)

Tsung, Frank; Weaver, J.; Lehmberg, R.

2015-11-01

We are performing particle-in-cell simulations using the code OSIRIS to study the effects of laser plasma interactions in the presence of temperal bandwidths under conditions relevant to current and future shock ignition experiments on the NIKE laser. Our simulations show that, for sufficiently large bandwidth, the saturation level, and the distribution of hot electrons, can be effected by the addition of temporal bandwidths (which can be accomplished in experiments using smoothing techniques such as SSD or ISI). We will show that temporal bandwidth along play an important role in the control of LPI's in these lasers and discuss future directions. This work is conducted under the auspices of NRL.

Experimental approach to interaction physics challenges of the shock ignition scheme using short pulse lasers.

Science.gov (United States)

Goyon, C; Depierreux, S; Yahia, V; Loisel, G; Baccou, C; Courvoisier, C; Borisenko, N G; Orekhov, A; Rosmej, O; Labaune, C

2013-12-06

An experimental program was designed to study the most important issues of laser-plasma interaction physics in the context of the shock ignition scheme. In the new experiments presented in this Letter, a combination of kilojoule and short laser pulses was used to study the laser-plasma coupling at high laser intensities for a large range of electron densities and plasma profiles. We find that the backscatter is dominated by stimulated Brillouin scattering with stimulated Raman scattering staying at a limited level. This is in agreement with past experiments using long pulses but laser intensities limited to 2×10(15)  W/cm2, or short pulses with intensities up to 5×10(16)  W/cm2 as well as with 2D particle-in-cell simulations.

Propagation of laser-generated plasma jet in an ambient medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loupias, B; Falize, E; Vinci, T; Bouquet, S; Gregory, C D; Koenig, M; Ravasio, A; Pikuz, S; Waugh, J; Woolsey, N C; Nazarov, W; Michaut, C; Kuramitsu, Y; Seiichi, D; Sakawa, Y; Takabe, H; Schiavi, A; Atzeni, S

2009-01-01

In this work we present experimental research related to laboratory astrophysics using an intense laser. The goal of these experiments is to investigate some of the complex features of young stellar objects and astrophysical outflows, in particular the plasma jet interaction with the interstellar medium. The relevance of these experiments to astrophysics is measured through similarity criteria (scaling laws). These ensure the similarity between the astrophysical object and the laboratory provided that the dimensionless numbers are equivalent. Consequently, measurements of the plasma parameters are crucial to link laboratory research to astrophysics as they are needed for the determination of these dimensionless numbers. In this context, we designed experiments to generate plasma jets using an intense laser, and to study the evolution in vacuum and in an ambient medium.

Saturation of Langmuir waves in laser-produced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, K.L.

1996-04-01

This dissertation deals with the interaction of an intense laser with a plasma (a quasineutral collection of electrons and ions). During this interaction, the laser drives large-amplitude waves through a class of processes known as parametric instabilities. Several such instabilities drive one type of wave, the Langmuir wave, which involves oscillations of the electrons relative to the nearly-stationary ions. There are a number of mechanisms which limit the amplitude to which Langmuir waves grow. In this dissertation, these mechanisms are examined to identify qualitative features which might be observed in experiments and/or simulations. In addition, a number of experiments are proposed to specifically look for particular saturation mechanisms. In a plasma, a Langmuir wave can decay into an electromagnetic wave and an ion wave. This parametric instability is proposed as a source for electromagnetic emission near half of the incident laser frequency observed from laser-produced plasmas. This interpretation is shown to be consistent with existing experimental data and it is found that one of the previous mechanisms used to explain such emission is not. The scattering version of the electromagnetic decay instability is shown to provide an enhanced noise source of electromagnetic waves near the frequency of the incident laser

Hot electron spatial distribution under presence of laser light self-focusing in over-dense plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanimoto, T; Yabuuchi, T; Habara, H; Kondo, K; Kodama, R; Mima, K; Tanaka, K A; Lei, A L

2008-01-01

In fast ignition for laser thermonuclear fusion, an ultra intense laser (UIL) pulse irradiates an imploded plasma in order to fast-heat a high-density core with hot electrons generated in laser-plasma interactions. An UIL pulse needs to make plasma channel via laser self-focusing and to propagate through the corona plasma to reach close enough to the core. Hot electrons are used for heating the core. Therefore the propagation of laser light in the high-density plasma region and spatial distribution of hot electron are important in issues in order to study the feasibility of this scheme. We measure the spatial distribution of hot electron when the laser light propagates into the high-density plasma region by self-focusing

Plasma lenses for ultrashort multi-petawatt laser pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palastro, J. P.; Gordon, D.; Hafizi, B.; Johnson, L. A.; Peñano, J.; Hubbard, R. F.; Helle, M.; Kaganovich, D. [Naval Research Laboratory, Washington DC 20375-5346 (United States)

2015-12-15

An ideal plasma lens can provide the focusing power of a small f-number, solid-state focusing optic at a fraction of the diameter. An ideal plasma lens, however, relies on a steady-state, linear laser pulse-plasma interaction. Ultrashort multi-petawatt (MPW) pulses possess broad bandwidths and extreme intensities, and, as a result, their interaction with the plasma lens is neither steady state nor linear. Here, we examine nonlinear and time-dependent modifications to plasma lens focusing, and show that these result in chromatic and phase aberrations and amplitude distortion. We find that a plasma lens can provide enhanced focusing for 30 fs pulses with peak power up to ∼1 PW. The performance degrades through the MPW regime, until finally a focusing penalty is incurred at ∼10 PW.

Images of Complex Interactions of an Intense Ion Beam with Plasma Electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaganovich, Igor D.; Startsev, Edward; Davidson, Ronald C.

2004-01-01

Ion beam propagation in a background plasma is an important scientific issue for many practical applications. The process of ion beam charge and current neutralization is complex because plasma electrons move in strong electric and magnetic fields of the beam. Computer simulation images of plasma interaction with an intense ion beam pulse are presented

Interaction of a laser breakdown plasma with a charged metallic target

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasil' ev, B I; Grasyuk, A Z; Dyad' kin, A P; Sukhanov, A N [AN SSSR, Moscow. Fizicheskij Inst.

1981-11-01

An effect has been studied of the laser plasma on potential of an insulated conducting target made of aluminium. Targets of 2.4 and 6 cm diameter were used. Spot sizes on the target changed by means of a diaphragm. A change has been found in the charged target potential upon exposure to the high-power TEA CO/sub 2/ laser radiation. Dependences are presented of the jump in the target potential ..delta..U on the initial target potential, laser radiation energy density, geometrical size of the exposed region. It has been established that there is an optimal pressure of the ambient air under which ..delta..U reaches maximum. A dependence is presented of ..delta..U on the pressure upon target exposure in the air and in nitrogen. Temporal characteristics of the ..delta..U variation correlate with those of plasma glow in the visible and ultraviolet bands. A mechanism is suggested which explains the potential jump under the interaction between the laser plasma and the charged metallic target.

Interaction of both plasmas in CO2 laser-MAG hybrid welding of carbon steel

Science.gov (United States)

Kutsuna, Muneharu; Chen, Liang

2003-03-01

Researches and developments of laser and arc hybrid welding has been curried out since in 1978. Especially, CO2 laser and TIG hybrid welding has been studied for increasing the penetration depth and welding speed. Recently laser and MIG/MAG/Plasma hybrid welding processes have been developed and applied to industries. It was recognized as a new welding process that promote the flexibility of the process for increasing the penetration depth, welding speed and allowable joint gap and improving the quality of the welds. In the present work, CO2 Laser-MAG hybrid welding of carbon steel (SM490) was investigated to make clear the phenomenon and characteristics of hybrid welding process comparing with laser welding and MAG process. The effects of many process parameters such as welding current, arc voltage, welding speed, defocusing distance, laser-to-arc distance on penetration depth, bead shape, spatter, arc stability and plasma formation were investigated in the present work. Especially, the interaction of laser plasma and MAG arc plasma was considered by changing the laser to arc distance (=DLA).

Interaction of a laser-produced copper plasma jet with ambient plastic plasma

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kasperczuk, A.; Pisarczyk, T.; Badziak, J.; Borodziuk, S.; Chodukowski, T.; Gus’kov, S.Yu.; Demchenko, N. N.; Klir, D.; Kravarik, J.; Kubes, P.; Rezac, K.; Ullschmied, Jiří; Krouský, Eduard; Mašek, Karel; Pfeifer, Miroslav; Rohlena, Karel; Skála, Jiří; Pisarczyk, P.

2011-01-01

Roč. 53, č. 9 (2011), 095003-095003 ISSN 0741-3335 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 7E09092; GA MŠk(CZ) LC528 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508; CEZ:AV0Z10100523 Keywords : laser produced-plasma jets * PALS laser * laser ablation * copper plasma * plastic plasma Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 2.425, year: 2011 http://iopscience.iop.org/0741-3335/53/9/095003/pdf/0741-3335_53_9_095003.pdf

Interaction of 0.53 {mu}m laser pulse with millimeter-scale plasmas generated by gasbag target

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Zhichao; Guo Liang [CAS Key Laboratory of Basic Plasma Physics, and Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui (China); Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, Sichuan (China); Zheng Jian; Yuan Peng [CAS Key Laboratory of Basic Plasma Physics, and Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui (China); Jiang Xiaohua; Wang Zhebin; Yang Dong; Zhang Huan; Li Sanwei; Yin Qiang; Zhu Fanghua; Peng Xiaoshi; Wang Feng; Yuan Zheng; Chen Li; Liu Shenye; Jiang Shaoen; Ding Yongkun [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, Sichuan (China); Shao Ping [Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, CAS, Shanghai (China)

2012-06-15

Detailed research on the interaction of a 0.53 {mu}m laser pulse with millimeter-scale plasmas produced by a gasbag target on the Shengguang-II facility is presented. The x-ray pinhole images confirm that millimeter-scale plasmas are generated and the x-ray framing images show a temporal window of 0.6-1.1 ns during which the millimeter-scale plasmas exist. The electron temperature is measured with a collective Thomson scattering system, providing 0.64 keV for C{sub 5}H{sub 12} and 1.8 keV for Xe plasmas. The electron density is inferred from the stimulated Raman scattering spectra. The experimental spectra show large differences for C{sub 5}H{sub 12}- and Xe-filled gasbags. A one-dimensional code based upon steady-state, kinetic linear theory is applied to calculate the stimulated Raman scattering spectra. Excellent agreement between the calculated and experimental results shows that the plasma parameters, especially the electron density and the temperature, dominate the disruption behavior of stimulated Raman scattering. The results also indicate that stimulated Raman scattering is probably located within specific region of the gasbag. The time-integrated reflectivity of both the stimulated Raman and Brillouin scattering is at a low level, even in the conditions of high laser intensity (1.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 15} W/cm{sup 2}) and no beam-smoothing. The experimental results are promising for future ignition experiments with a 0.53 {mu}m laser as the driver.

Electron transport phenomena and dense plasmas produced by ultra-short pulse laser interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

More, R.M.

1994-01-01

Recent experiments with femtosecond lasers provide a test bed for theoretical ideas about electron processes in hot dense plasmas. We briefly review aspects of electron conduction theory likely to prove relevant to femtosecond laser absorption. We show that the Mott-Ioffe-Regel limit implies a maximum inverse bremsstrahlung absorption of about 50% at temperatures near the Fermi temperature. We also propose that sheath inverse bremsstrahlung leads to a minimum absorption of 7-10% at high laser intensity

Instability and dynamics of two nonlinearly coupled intense laser beams in a quantum plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yunliang; Shukla, P. K.; Eliasson, B.

2013-01-01

We consider nonlinear interactions between two relativistically strong laser beams and a quantum plasma composed of degenerate electron fluids and immobile ions. The collective behavior of degenerate electrons is modeled by quantum hydrodynamic equations composed of the electron continuity, quantum electron momentum (QEM) equation, as well as the Poisson and Maxwell equations. The QEM equation accounts the quantum statistical electron pressure, the quantum electron recoil due to electron tunneling through the quantum Bohm potential, electron-exchange, and electron-correlation effects caused by electron spin, and relativistic ponderomotive forces (RPFs) of two circularly polarized electromagnetic (CPEM) beams. The dynamics of the latter are governed by nonlinear wave equations that include nonlinear currents arising from the relativistic electron mass increase in the CPEM wave fields, as well as from the beating of the electron quiver velocity and electron density variations reinforced by the RPFs of the two CPEM waves. Furthermore, nonlinear electron density variations associated with the driven (by the RPFs) quantum electron plasma oscillations obey a coupled nonlinear Schrödinger and Poisson equations. The nonlinearly coupled equations for our purposes are then used to obtain a general dispersion relation (GDR) for studying the parametric instabilities and the localization of CPEM wave packets in a quantum plasma. Numerical analyses of the GDR reveal that the growth rate of a fastest growing parametrically unstable mode is in agreement with the result that has been deduced from numerical simulations of the governing nonlinear equations. Explicit numerical results for two-dimensional (2D) localized CPEM wave packets at nanoscales are also presented. Possible applications of our investigation to intense laser-solid density compressed plasma experiments are highlighted.

Ion Acceleration from the Interaction of Ultra-Intense Lasers with Solid Foils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, M

2004-01-01

with deuterium. We present evidence that ions heavier than protons can be accelerated if hydrogenous contaminants that cover the laser target can be removed. We show that deuterons can be accelerated from the deuterated-palladium target, which has been radiatively heated to remove contaminants. Impinging a deuteron beam onto a tritiated-titanium catcher could lead to the development of a table-top source of short-pulse, 14-MeV fusion neutrons. We also show that by using an argon-ion sputter gun, contaminants from one side of the laser target can be selectively removed without affecting the other side. We show that irradiating a thin metallic foil with an ultra-intense laser pulse produces a proton beam with a yield of 1.5-2.5 10 11 and temperature, kT 1.5 MeV with a maximum proton energy > 9 MeV. Removing contaminants from the front surface of the laser target with an argon-ion sputter gun, had no observable effect on the proton beam. However, removing contaminants from the back surface of the laser target reduced the proton beam by two orders of magnitude to, at most, a yield of ∼ 10 9 and a maximum proton energy 99%) of high energy protons (E > 5 MeV) from the interaction of an ultra-intense laser pulse with a thin foil originate on the back surface of the foil--as predicted by the TNSA model. Our experimental results are in agreement with PIC simulations showing back surface protons reach energies up to 13 MeV, while front surface protons reach a maximum energy of 4 MeV. Well diagnosed and controllable proton beams will have many applications: neutron radiography, material damage studies, production of medical isotopes, and as a high-resolution radiography tool for diagnosing opaque materials and plasmas. Well collimated and focusable ion beams may also prove beneficial for alternative inertial-fusion concepts such as proton fast ignition, a potentially viable method for achieving a controlled fusion reaction in the laboratory earlier than expected

Generation of Ultra-high Intensity Laser Pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.; Malkin, V.M.

2003-01-01

Mainly due to the method of chirped pulse amplification, laser intensities have grown remarkably during recent years. However, the attaining of very much higher powers is limited by the material properties of gratings. These limitations might be overcome through the use of plasma, which is an ideal medium for processing very high power and very high total energy. A plasma can be irradiated by a long pump laser pulse, carrying significant energy, which is then quickly depleted in the plasma by a short counterpropagating pulse. This counterpropagating wave effect has already been employed in Raman amplifiers using gases or plasmas at low laser power. Of particular interest here are the new effects which enter in high power regimes. These new effects can be employed so that one high-energy optical system can be used like a flashlamp in what amounts to pumping the plasma, and a second low-power optical system can be used to extract quickly the energy from the plasma and focus it precisely. The combined system can be very compact. Thus, focused intensities more than 10 25 W/cm 2 can be contemplated using existing optical elements. These intensities are several orders of magnitude higher than what is currently available through chirped pump amplifiers

Laser-material interactions: A study of laser energy coupling with solids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shannon, Mark Alan [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1993-11-01

This study of laser-light interactions with solid materials ranges from low-temperature heating to explosive, plasma-forming reactions. Contained are four works concerning laser-energy coupling: laser (i) heating and (ii) melting monitored using a mirage effect technique, (iii) the mechanical stress-power generated during high-powered laser ablation, and (iv) plasma-shielding. First, a photothermal deflection (PTD) technique is presented for monitoring heat transfer during modulated laser heating of opaque solids that have not undergone phase-change. Of main interest is the physical significance of the shape, magnitude, and phase for the temporal profile of the deflection signal. Considered are the effects that thermophysical properties, boundary conditions, and geometry of the target and optical probe-beam have on the deflection response. PTD is shown to monitor spatial and temporal changes in heat flux leaving the surface due to changes in laser energy coupling. The PTD technique is then extended to detect phase-change at the surface of a solid target. Experimental data shows the onset of melt for indium and tin targets. The conditions for which melt can be detected by PTD is analyzed in terms of geometry, incident power and pulse length, and thermophysical properties of the target and surroundings. Next, monitoring high-powered laser ablation of materials with stress-power is introduced. The motivation for considering stress-power is given, followed by a theoretical discussion of stress-power and how it is determined experimentally. Experiments are presented for the ablation of aluminum targets as a function of energy and intensity. The stress-power response is analyzed for its physical significance. Lastly, the influence of plasma-shielding during high-powered pulsed laser-material interactions is considered. Crater size, emission, and stress-power are measured to determine the role that the gas medium and laser pulse length have on plasma shielding.

Laser-material interactions: A study of laser energy coupling with solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shannon, M.A.; California Univ., Berkeley, CA

1993-11-01

This study of laser-light interactions with solid materials ranges from low-temperature heating to explosive, plasma-forming reactions. Contained are four works concerning laser-energy coupling: laser (i) heating and (ii) melting monitored using a mirage effect technique, (iii) the mechanical stress-power generated during high-powered laser ablation, and (iv) plasma-shielding. First, a photothermal deflection (PTD) technique is presented for monitoring heat transfer during modulated laser heating of opaque solids that have not undergone phase-change. Of main interest is the physical significance of the shape, magnitude, and phase for the temporal profile of the deflection signal. Considered are the effects that thermophysical properties, boundary conditions, and geometry of the target and optical probe-beam have on the deflection response. PTD is shown to monitor spatial and temporal changes in heat flux leaving the surface due to changes in laser energy coupling. The PTD technique is then extended to detect phase-change at the surface of a solid target. Experimental data shows the onset of melt for indium and tin targets. The conditions for which melt can be detected by PTD is analyzed in terms of geometry, incident power and pulse length, and thermophysical properties of the target and surroundings. Next, monitoring high-powered laser ablation of materials with stress-power is introduced. The motivation for considering stress-power is given, followed by a theoretical discussion of stress-power and how it is determined experimentally. Experiments are presented for the ablation of aluminum targets as a function of energy and intensity. The stress-power response is analyzed for its physical significance. Lastly, the influence of plasma-shielding during high-powered pulsed laser-material interactions is considered. Crater size, emission, and stress-power are measured to determine the role that the gas medium and laser pulse length have on plasma shielding

A general theory of electronic parametric instability of relativistically intense laser light in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parr, D.M.

2000-04-01

This thesis studies the propagation and stability of ultraintense laser light in plasma. A new method is devised, both general and inclusive yet requiring only modest computational effort. The exact anharmonic waveforms for laser light are established. An examination of their stability extends the theory of electron parametric instabilities to relativistic regimes in plasmas of any density including classically overdense plasma accessible by self-induced transparency. Such instabilities can rapidly degrade intense pulses, but can also be harnessed, for example in the self-resonant laser wakefield accelerator. Understanding both the new and established regimes is thus basic to the success of many applications arising in high-field science, including novel x-ray sources and ignition of laser fusion targets, as well as plasma-based accelerator schemes. A covariant formulation of a cold electron fluid plasma is Lorentz transformed to the laser group velocity frame; this is the essence of the method and produces a very simple final model. Then, first, the zero-order laser 'driver' model is developed, in this frame representing a spatially homogeneous environment and thus soluble numerically as ordinary differential equations. The linearised first-order system leads to a further set of differential equations, whose solution defines the growth and other characteristics of an instability. The method is exact, rugged and flexible, avoiding the many approximations and restrictions previously necessary. This approach unifies all theory on purely electronic parametric instabilities over the last 30 years and, for the first time in generality, extends it into the ultrahigh relativistic regime. Besides extensions to familiar parametric instabilities, such as Stimulated Raman Scattering and Two-Plasmon Decay, strong stimulated harmonic generation emerges across a wide range of harmonics with high growth rates, presenting a varied and complex physical entity

High-intensity X-rays interaction with matter processes in plasmas, clusters, molecules and solids

CERN Document Server

Hau-Riege, Stefan P

2012-01-01

Filling the need for a book bridging the effect of matter on X-ray radiation and the interaction of x-rays with plasmas, this monograph provides comprehensive coverage of the topic. As such, it presents and explains such powerful new X-ray sources as X-ray free-electron lasers, as well as short pulse interactions with solids, clusters, molecules, and plasmas, and X-ray matter interactions as a diagnostic tool. Equally useful for researchers and practitioners working in the field.

X-ray spectroscopic technique for energetic electron transport studies in short-pulse laser/plasma interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tutt, T.E.

1994-12-01

When a solid target is irradiated by a laser beam, the material is locally heated to a high temperature and a plasma forms. The interaction of the laser with plasma can produce energetic electrons. By observing the behavior of these {open_quotes}hot{close_quotes} electrons, we hope to obtain a better understanding of Laser/Plasma Interactions. In this work we employ a layered-fluorescer technique to study the transport, and therefore the energetics, of the electrons. The plasma forms on a thin foil of metallic Pd which is bonded to thin layer of metallic Sn. Electrons formed from the plasma penetrate first the Pd and then the Sn. In both layers the energetic electrons promote inner (K) shell ionization of the metallic atoms which leads to the emission of characteristic K{sub {alpha}} x-rays of the fluorescers. By recording the x-ray spectrum emitted by the two foils, we can estimate the energy-dependent range of the electrons and their numbers.

Improved ion acceleration via laser surface plasma waves excitation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bigongiari, A. [CEA/DSM/LSI, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France); TIPS/LULI, Université Paris 6, CNRS, CEA, Ecole Polytechnique, 3, rue Galilée, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine (France); Raynaud, M. [CEA/DSM/LSI, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France); Riconda, C. [TIPS/LULI, Université Paris 6, CNRS, CEA, Ecole Polytechnique, 3, rue Galilée, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine (France); Héron, A. [CPHT, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France)

2013-05-15

The possibility of enhancing the emission of the ions accelerated in the interaction of a high intensity ultra-short (<100 fs) laser pulse with a thin target (<10λ{sub 0}), via surface plasma wave excitation is investigated. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed for laser intensities ranging from 10{sup 19} to 10{sup 20} Wcm{sup −2}μm{sup 2}. The surface wave is resonantly excited by the laser via the coupling with a modulation at the target surface. In the cases where the surface wave is excited, we find an enhancement of the maximum ion energy of a factor ∼2 compared to the cases where the target surface is flat.

Generation of highly collimated high-current ion beams by skin-layer laser-plasma interaction at relativistic laser intensities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badziak, J.; Jablonski, S.; Glowacz, S.

2006-01-01

Generation of fast ion beams by laser-induced skin-layer ponderomotive acceleration has been studied using a two-dimensional (2D) two-fluid relativistic computer code. It is shown that the key parameter determining the spatial structure and angular divergence of the ion beam is the ratio d L /L n , where d L is the laser beam diameter and L n is the plasma density gradient scale length. When d L >>L n , a dense highly collimated megaampere ion (proton) beam of the ion current density approaching TA/cm 2 can be generated by skin-layer ponderomotive acceleration, even with a tabletop subpicosecond laser

Splitter target for controlling magnetic reconnection in relativistic laser plasma interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Y. J.; Bulanov, S. S.; Korn, G.; Bulanov, S. V.

2018-04-01

The utilization of a conical target irradiated by a high power laser is proposed to study fast magnetic reconnection in relativistic plasma interactions. Such target, placed in front of the near critical density gas jet, splits the laser pulse, forming two parallel laser pulses in the 2D case and a donut shaped pulse in the 3D case. The magnetic annihilation and reconnection occur in the density downramp region of the subsequent gas jet. The magnetic field energy is converted into the particle kinetic energy. As a result, a backward accelerated electron beam is obtained as a signature of reconnection. The above mechanisms are demonstrated using particle-in-cell simulations in both 2D and 3D cases. Facilitating the synchronization of two laser beams, the proposed approach can be used in designing the corresponding experiments on studying fundamental problems of relativistic plasma physics.

Spectrochemical analysis using laser plasma excitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radziemski, L.J.

1989-01-01

This paper reports on analyses of gases, liquids, particles, and surfaces in which laser plasma is used to vaporize and excite a material. The authors present a discussion of the interaction between laser radiation and a solid and some recent analytical results using laser plasma excitation on metals. The use of laser plasmas as an ablation source is also discussed

Direct acceleration of electrons by a CO2 laser in a curved plasma waveguide

CERN Document Server

Yi, Longqing; Shen, Baifei

2016-01-01

Laser plasma interaction with micro-engineered targets at relativistic intensities has been greatly promoted by recent progress in the high contrast lasers and the manufacture of advanced micro- and nano-structures. This opens new possibilities for the physics of laser-matter interaction. Here we propose a novel approach that leverages the advantages of high-pressure CO 2 laser, laser-waveguide interaction, as well as micro-engineered plasma structure to accelerate electrons to peak energy greater than 1 GeV with narrow slice energy spread (~1%) and high overall efficiency. The acceleration gradient is 26 GV/m for a 1.3 TW CO2 laser system. The micro-bunching of a long electron beam leads to the generation of a chain of ultrashort electron bunches with the duration roughly equal to half-laser-cycle. These results open a way for developing a compact and economic electron source for diverse applications.

On-line depth measurement for laser-drilled holes based on the intensity of plasma emission

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Chao-Ching; Chiu, Chih-Mu; Chang, Yuan-Jen; Hsu, Jin-Chen; Kuo, Chia-Lung

2014-09-01

The direct time-resolved depth measurement of blind holes is extremely difficult due to the short time interval and the limited space inside the hole. This work presents a method that involves on-line plasma emission acquisition and analysis to obtain correlations between the machining processes and the optical signal output. Given that the depths of laser-machined holes can be estimated on-line using a coaxial photodiode, this was employed in our inspection system. Our experiments were conducted in air under normal atmospheric conditions without gas assist. The intensity of radiation emitted from the vaporized material was found to correlate with the depth of the hole. The results indicate that the estimated depths of the laser-drilled holes were inversely proportional to the maximum plasma light emission measured for a given laser pulse number.

Integrated Laser-Target Interaction Experiments on the RAL Petawatt Laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, P. K.; Key, M. H.; Mackinnon, A. J.; Akli, K.; Berry, R.; Borghesi, M.; Brummit, P. A.; Chambers, D.; Clarke, R. J.; Damian, C.; Chen, H.; Eagleton, R.; Freeman, R.; Glenzer, S.; Gregori, G.; Heathcote, R.; Izumi, N.; Kar, S.; King, J. A.; Kock, J.; Kuba, J.; May, M.; Moon, S.; Neely, D.; Neville, D. R.; Nikroo, A.; Niles, A.; Pasley, J.; Patel, N.; Park, H. S.; Romagnani, L.; Shepherd, R.; Snavely, R. A.; Stephens, R.; Stoeckl, C.; Storm, M.; Theobald, W.; Van Maren, R.; Wilks, S. C.; Zhang, B.

2005-01-01

We report on two recent experimental campaigns performed on the new Petawatt laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK.The laser has recently demonstrated performance characteristics of 400 J of laser energy being delivered on target in a sub 400 fs pulse, reaching a peak focal intensity on the order of 10''21 W/cm''2. The experiments covered multiplic areas of investigation including hot electron transport in planar foil and cone focus geometries, relativistic laser-solid interactions proton beam focusing and heating, and high energy K-alpha production and radiography. A somewhat novel approach was taken to the experiments in that all of the diagnostics required for the different areas of study were fielded simultaneously and operated on all shots. Thus, we were able to obtain extensive sets of measurements on a single-shot basis which provides significant benefit to our understanding of the laser-target interaction conditions and plasma properties. (Author)

P3: An installation for high-energy density plasma physics and ultra-high intensity laser–matter interaction at ELI-Beamlines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Weber

2017-07-01

Full Text Available ELI-Beamlines (ELI-BL, one of the three pillars of the Extreme Light Infrastructure endeavour, will be in a unique position to perform research in high-energy-density-physics (HEDP, plasma physics and ultra-high intensity (UHI (>1022W/cm2 laser–plasma interaction. Recently the need for HED laboratory physics was identified and the P3 (plasma physics platform installation under construction in ELI-BL will be an answer. The ELI-BL 10 PW laser makes possible fundamental research topics from high-field physics to new extreme states of matter such as radiation-dominated ones, high-pressure quantum ones, warm dense matter (WDM and ultra-relativistic plasmas. HEDP is of fundamental importance for research in the field of laboratory astrophysics and inertial confinement fusion (ICF. Reaching such extreme states of matter now and in the future will depend on the use of plasma optics for amplifying and focusing laser pulses. This article will present the relevant technological infrastructure being built in ELI-BL for HEDP and UHI, and gives a brief overview of some research under way in the field of UHI, laboratory astrophysics, ICF, WDM, and plasma optics.

Time-resolved Thomson scattering on high-intensity laser-produced hot dense helium plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sperling, P; Liseykina, T; Bauer, D; Redmer, R

2013-01-01

The introduction of brilliant free-electron lasers enables new pump–probe experiments to characterize warm and hot dense matter states, i.e. systems at solid-like densities and temperatures of one to several hundred eV. Such extreme conditions are relevant for high-energy density studies such as, e.g., in planetary physics and inertial confinement fusion. We consider here a liquid helium jet pumped with a high-intensity optical short-pulse laser that is subsequently probed with brilliant soft x-ray radiation. The optical short-pulse laser generates a strongly inhomogeneous helium plasma which is characterized with particle-in-cell simulations. We derive the respective Thomson scattering spectrum based on the Born–Mermin approximation for the dynamic structure factor considering the full density and temperature-dependent Thomson scattering cross section throughout the target. We observe plasmon modes that are generated in the interior of the target and study their temporal evolution. Such pump–probe experiments are promising tools to measure the important plasma parameters density and temperature. The method described here can be applied to various pump–probe scenarios by combining optical lasers, soft x-rays and hard x-ray sources. (paper)

On the anomalous interaction of intense light fluxes with a dense plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'yachenko, V.F.; Imshennik, V.S.

1979-01-01

The process of interaction of a light wave with plasma is considered in the framework of the system of the Maxwell-Vlasov equations without taking accout of particle collisions. The plasma were incident onto the plasma surface is monochromatic and linearly polarized. Plasma is cold and completely ionized. The concentration of charged particles is above critical one and varies in the direction of vector of the wave electric field. The results of several numerical calculations of this problem are presented. They show that if the energy flux density of the wave exceeds some critical one, plasma absorbes light intensively. Studied is the mechanism of nonlinear interaction of oscillations which leads to arising of multiflux motion and explaining this effect

Fluid simulation for two laser beams co-propagating in underdense plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahdy, A.I.

2004-09-01

2D simulations code was constructed in order simulate the interactions of two co-propagating laser beams with underdense plasma. Simulations results at different laser intensities and separation-distances between the beams centroids were presented. In the results the effects of the laser intensities on the self-focusing and merging of the propagating beams were shown. In addition, the influence of increasing the separation-distance on the beams stability and trajectories were studied. A comparison with previous simulations at similar conditions was carried out in order to evaluate the numerical technique used to solve the basic equations. (author)

Coherent nonlinear backscattering by laser-plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, D.; Wilhelmsson, H.

1974-01-01

A theoretical analysis is carried out for the problem of coherent nonlinear backscattering of laser radiation by a high density plasma. A number of effects of direct interest to the DT-pellet fusion research is investigated. A simple physical description is introduced, which relies on a nonlinear potential formulation of the scattering equations. The simplicity and the unified nature of the approach enables one to evaluate and compare the influence on the radiation reflectivity of different effects, such as e.g. inhomogeneities, blow-off velocities, temperature gradients, laser band width and relativistic oscillatory velocities. The understanding of the role played by the various phenomena has consequently improved and it is thought that this approach should be useful for the interpretation of laser-plasma data obtained by computer simulation or laboratory experiments. The results may also be utilized to estimate how and to what extent one may avoid undesired anomalous reflection when planning new laser-plasma devices. (Auth.)

Hot electron effects on the satellite spectrum of laser-produced plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdallah, J. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM (United States); Faenov, A.Y.; Pikuz, T.A. [MISDC, NPO ' VNIIFTRI' , Mendeleevo, Moscow Region, 141570 (Russian Federation); Wilke, M.D.; Kyrala, G.A.; Clark, R.E.H. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM (United States)

1999-05-01

In laser-produced plasmas, the interaction of the intense laser light with plasma electrons can produce high-energy superthermal electrons with energies in the keV range. These hot electrons can influence the level populations which determine spectral line structure. In the present paper, the effect of hot electrons on the X-ray satellite spectrum of laser-produced plasmas is studied. Calculated spectra are compared with experimental observations. Magnesium targets irradiated by three different types of laser pulses are considered. These include, a high-intensity 600 fs Nd-glass laser, a 1 ns Nd-glass laser, and a 2ns CO{sub 2} laser. The Nd-glass laser experiments were conducted recently at the Los Alamos Trident Facility and the CO{sub 2} data were recorded by MISDC. High-resolution spectra were measured near the He-like resonance line of magnesium. The calculations employ an electron energy distribution which includes a thermal and a hot electron component, as part of a detailed collisional-radiative model. Plasma parameters including electron temperature, density, and hot electron fraction are estimated by choosing best fits to the experimental measurements. The calculations show that hot electrons can cause several anomalous effects. The Li-like jkl, abcd, and qr satellites can show intensities which are generally attributed to electron densities in excess of 10{sup 23} cm{sup -3}. In addition, the relative amplitude of the intercombination line can be unusually large even at high electron densities due to enhanced collisional excitation of the 1s2p{sup 3}P state by hot electrons. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Genuine two-fluid computations of laser-plasma interaction for generation of nonlinear force driven plasma blocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nafari, F.; Yazdani, E.; Malekynia, B.; Ghoranneviss, M.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Anomalous interaction of picosecond laser pulses of terawatt to petawatt power is due to suppression of relativistic self-focusing if prepulses are cut-off by a contrast ratio higher than 10 8 . Resulting non-linear ponderomotive forces induced at the skin-layer interaction of a short laser-pulse with a proper preplasma layer produced by the laser prepulse in front of a solid target accelerate two thin (a few μm) quasi-neutral plasma blocks, propagating in forward and backward directions, backward moving against the laser light (ablation) and forward moving into the target. This compressed block produces an ion current density of above 10 11 A/cm 2 . This may support the requirement to produce a fast ignition deuterium tritium fusion at densities not much higher than the solid state by a single shot pw-ps laser pulse. With studying skin-layer subrelativistic interaction of a short (≤ 1 ps) laser pulse with an initial Rayleigh density profile in genuine two-fluid hydrodynamic model, time and spatial distributions of ion block temperature are presented.

Electromagnetic cascade in high-energy electron, positron, and photon interactions with intense laser pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Bulanov, S. S.; Schroeder, C. B.; Esarey, E.; Leemans, W. P.

2013-06-01

The interaction of high-energy electrons, positrons, and photons with intense laser pulses is studied in head-on collision geometry. It is shown that electrons and/or positrons undergo a cascade-type process involving multiple emissions of photons. These photons can consequently convert into electron-positron pairs. As a result charged particles quickly lose their energy developing an exponentially decaying energy distribution, which suppresses the emission of high-energy photons, thus reducing the number of electron-positron pairs being generated. Therefore, this type of interaction suppresses the development of the electromagnetic avalanche-type discharge, i.e., the exponential growth of the number of electrons, positrons, and photons does not occur in the course of interaction. The suppression will occur when three-dimensional effects can be neglected in the transverse particle orbits, i.e., for sufficiently broad laser pulses with intensities that are not too extreme. The final distributions of electrons, positrons, and photons are calculated for the case of a high-energy e-beam interacting with a counterstreaming, short intense laser pulse. The energy loss of the e-beam, which requires a self-consistent quantum description, plays an important role in this process, as well as provides a clear experimental observable for the transition from the classical to quantum regime of interaction.

INTERACTION OF LASER RADIATION WITH MATTER. LASER PLASMA: Spectroscopic investigation of thermodynamic parameters of a plasma plume formed by the action of cw CO2 laser radiation on a metal substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Vasil'chenko, Zh V.; Azharonok, V. V.; Filatova, I. I.; Shimanovich, V. D.; Golubev, V. S.; Zabelin, A. M.

1996-09-01

Emission spectroscopy methods were used in an investigation of thermodynamic parameters of a surface plasma formed by the action of cw CO2 laser radiation of (2-5)×106 W cm-2 intensity on stainless steel in a protective He or Ar atmosphere. The spatiotemporal structure and pulsation characteristics of the plasma plume were used to determine the fields of the plasma electron density and temperature.

Proposed development of novel diagnostics for intense, ultrafast laser-plasma experiments at JAEA-KPSI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolton, Paul R.; Tatchyn, Roman; Fukuda, Yuji; Kando, Masaki; Daito, Izuru; Ma, Jinglong; Chen, Liming; Pirozhkov, Alexander; Tajima, Toshiki

2007-01-01

Development of new diagnostics is critical for future laser-plasma accelerators, laser-driven light sources and for x-ray FELs. Recent laser wakefield electron acceleration developments and novel beam-based light source schemes (such as free electron lasers) obviate the need for next generation ultrafast diagnostics, capable of temporal resolution of a few femtoseconds (and in some cases attoseconds) for laser pulses (high order harmonics), x-ray pulses and electron bunches. Single shot detection capability in noninvasive and parasitic modes is also important. Alterations of laser pulse spectra and the associated dynamics can be informative diagnostics. The portion of a high intensity laser pulse that is transmitted through a self-induced underdense plasma (such as in laser wakefield acceleration LWFA schemes) carries the effects of plasma processes it has experienced. A distinction between the self-modulated laser wakefield (SMLWF) acceleration regime and the forced laser wakefield (FLWF) acceleration regime is in the spectral signature of the transmitted ir laser pulse. The former regime generates sidebands from stimulated Raman forward scattering (SRS-F) and the latter exhibits general spectral broadening that evidences ir laser pulse compression. Transmitted spectral effects can diagnose these acceleration regimes. Existing noninvasive electro-optic (EO) schemes for detection of ultrashort electron bunches are limited by material properties to temporal resolution at the 50-100 femtosecond level. While timing jitter at conventional accelerators is of this order (or greater), single bunch longitudinal profile measurements can require improvement of at least an order of magnitude. A new FO technique is described here which monitors enhancement and associated dynamics of spectral components in a probe pulse. Three correlation schemes for detecting ultrashort x-ray pulses are described. Two-photon absorption in tailored ion targets is proposed for scanning auto

Laser-plasma booster for ion post acceleration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satoh D.

2013-11-01

Full Text Available A remarkable ion energy increase is demonstrated for post acceleration by a laser-plasma booster. An intense short-pulse laser generates a strong current by high-energy electrons accelerated, when this intense short-pulse laser illuminates a plasma target. The strong electric current creates a strong magnetic field along the high-energy electron current in plasma. During the increase phase in the magnetic field, a longitudinal inductive electric field is induced for the forward ion acceleration by the Faraday law. Our 2.5-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations demonstrate a remarkable increase in ion energy by several tens of MeV.

High density ultrashort relativistic positron beam generation by laser-plasma interaction

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Gu, Yanjun; Klimo, Ondřej; Weber, Stefan A.; Korn, Georg

2016-01-01

Roč. 18, č. 11 (2016), 1-7, č. článku 113023. ISSN 1367-2630 R&D Projects: GA MŠk EF15_008/0000162 Grant - others:ELI Beamlines(XE) CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/15_008/0000162 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : radation reaction effect * pair creation * laser-plasma interaction Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 3.786, year: 2016

Study of plasma formation in CW CO2 laser beam-metal surface interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Azharonok, V. V.; Vasilchenko, Zh V.; Golubev, Vladimir S.; Gresev, A. N.; Zabelin, Alexandre M.; Chubrik, N. I.; Shimanovich, V. D.

1994-04-01

An interaction of the cw CO2 laser beam and a moving metal surface has been studied. The pulsed and thermodynamical parameters of the surface plasma were investigated by optical and spectroscopical methods. The subsonic radiation wave propagation in the erosion plasma torch has been studied.

Interaction between laser-produced plasma and guiding magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Jun; Takahashi, Kazumasa; Ikeda, Shunsuke; Nakajima, Mitsuo; Horioka, Kazuhiko

2013-01-01

Transportation properties of laser-produced plasma through a guiding magnetic field were examined. A drifting dense plasma produced by a KrF laser was injected into an axisymmetric magnetic field induced by permanent ring magnets. The plasma ion flux in the guiding magnetic field was measured by a Faraday cup at various distances from the laser target. Numerical analyses based on a collective focusing model were performed to simulate plasma particle trajectories and then compared with the experimental results. (author)

Energetic beams of negative and neutral hydrogen from intense laser plasma interaction

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Abicht, F.; Prasad, R.; Borghesi, Marco; Priebe, G.; Braenzel, J.; Andreev, A.; Nickles, P.V.; Schnürer, M.; Jequier, S.; Revet, G.; Tikhonchuk, V.; Ter-Avetisyan, Sargis

2013-01-01

Roč. 103, č. 25 (2013), "253501-1"-"253501-5" ISSN 0003-6951 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ED1.1.00/02.0061; GA MŠk EE2.3.20.0279 Grant - others:ELI Beamlines(XE) CZ.1.05/1.1.00/02.0061; LaserZdroj (OP VK 3)(XE) CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0279 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : charge-exchange * cross-sections * atomic- hydrogen * helium ions * gases * potassium * protons Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 3.515, year: 2013

Intense laser driven collision-less shock and ion acceleration in magnetized plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Mima, K.; Jia, Q.; Cai, H. B.; Taguchi, T.; Nagatomo, H.; Sanz, J. R.; Honrubia, J.

2016-05-01

The generation of strong magnetic field with a laser driven coil has been demonstrated by many experiments. It is applicable to the magnetized fast ignition (MFI), the collision-less shock in the astrophysics and the ion shock acceleration. In this paper, the longitudinal magnetic field effect on the shock wave driven by the radiation pressure of an intense short pulse laser is investigated by theory and simulations. The transition of a laminar shock (electro static shock) to the turbulent shock (electromagnetic shock) occurs, when the external magnetic field is applied in near relativistic cut-off density plasmas. This transition leads to the enhancement of conversion of the laser energy into high energy ions. The enhancement of the conversion efficiency is important for the ion driven fast ignition and the laser driven neutron source. It is found that the total number of ions reflected by the shock increases by six time when the magnetic field is applied.

Proton emission from laser-generated plasmas at different intensities

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Torrisi, L.; Cutroneo, M.; Cavallaro, S.; Giuffrida, L.; Margarone, Daniele

2012-01-01

Roč. 57, č. 2 (2012), s. 237-240 ISSN 0029-5922. [International Conference on Research and Applications of Plasmas (PLASMA). Warsaw, 12.09.2011-16.09.2011] Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : laser-generated plasma * hydrogenated targets * proton acceleration Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 0.507, year: 2012

Plasma mirrors for ultrahigh-intensity optics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thaury, C; Quere, F; Levy, A; Ceccotti, T; Monot, P; Bougeard, M; Reau, F; D' Oliveira, P; Martin, PH [CEA, DSM, DRECAM, Serv Photons Atomes and Mol, F-91191 Gif Sur Yvette, (France); Geindre, J P; Audebert, P [Ecole Polytech, CNRS, Lab Utilisat Lasers Inst, F-91128 Palaiseau, (France); Marjoribanks, R [Univ Toronto, Dept Phys, Toronto, ON M5S 1A7, (Canada); Marjoribanks, R [Univ Toronto, Inst Opt Sci, Toronto, ON M5S 1A7, (Canada)

2007-07-01

Specular reflection is one of the most fundamental processes of optics. At moderate light intensities generated by conventional light sources this process is well understood. But at those capable of being produced by modern ultrahigh-intensity lasers, many new and potentially useful phenomena arise. When a pulse from such a laser hits an optically polished surface, it generates a dense plasma that itself acts as a mirror, known as a plasma mirror (PM). PMs do not just reflect the remainder of the incident beam, but can act as active optical elements. Using a set of three consecutive PMs in different regimes, we significantly improve the temporal contrast of femtosecond pulses, and demonstrate that high-order harmonics of the laser frequency can be generated through two distinct mechanisms. A better understanding of these processes should aid the development of laser-driven atto-second sources for use in fields from materials science to molecular biology. (authors)

Plasma mirrors for ultrahigh-intensity optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thaury, C.; Quere, F.; Levy, A.; Ceccotti, T.; Monot, P.; Bougeard, M.; Reau, F.; D'Oliveira, P.; Martin, PH.; Geindre, J.P.; Audebert, P.; Marjoribanks, R.; Marjoribanks, R.

2007-01-01

Specular reflection is one of the most fundamental processes of optics. At moderate light intensities generated by conventional light sources this process is well understood. But at those capable of being produced by modern ultrahigh-intensity lasers, many new and potentially useful phenomena arise. When a pulse from such a laser hits an optically polished surface, it generates a dense plasma that itself acts as a mirror, known as a plasma mirror (PM). PMs do not just reflect the remainder of the incident beam, but can act as active optical elements. Using a set of three consecutive PMs in different regimes, we significantly improve the temporal contrast of femtosecond pulses, and demonstrate that high-order harmonics of the laser frequency can be generated through two distinct mechanisms. A better understanding of these processes should aid the development of laser-driven atto-second sources for use in fields from materials science to molecular biology. (authors)

Stimulated Brillouin backscattering and magnetic field generation in laser-produced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bawa'aneh, M.S.

1999-01-01

This thesis is concerned with aspects of laser-plasma interactions related to fusion reactions; in particular thermoelectric magnetic field generation around a hole dug in plasma by intense laser beams, and stimulated Brillouin back scattering (SBBS) from plasmas containing hot spots. A hole, of the size of the laser focal spot, is dug in the plasma when illuminated by intense laser if the laser pressure exceeds the plasma thermal pressure. This hole is found to have steep, radial density gradients. My first concern arose from the prediction that magnetic fields might be generated around the hole-plasma interface in places where the steep density gradients overlap with the non-aligned temperature gradients. When a high-power laser beam is focused on a solid pellet, plasma is formed at the surface. In order to create conditions for thermonuclear reactions in the interior of the pellet, an effective deposition of the laser energy to thermal energy of the pellet via laser-plasma coupling is necessary. When light irradiates a plasma collective processes occur, which can either enhance or reduce the light absorption. For a better understanding of the fusion problem a knowledge of the nature of these collective processes and of the fraction of light reflected from the plasma modes is required. Local hot spots seen experimentally lead to higher gain levels of scattered light. These local temperature inhomogeneities could lead to non-equilibrium distributions, which result in a free energy leading to some interesting phenomena in plasma. In the second part of the thesis stimulated Brillouin back scattering from an ion acoustic mode in a hot spot is studied. Temperature inhomogeneities lead to an ion acoustic instability, and to higher levels of SBBS gain, which leads to lower thresholds for the same electron to ion temperature ratios. This could be the answer for the observed high levels of scattering from hot spots. (author)

Escaping Electrons from Intense Laser-Solid Interactions as a Function of Laser Spot Size

OpenAIRE

Rusby, Dean; Gray, Ross; Butler, Nick; Dance, Rachel; Scott, Graeme; Bagnoud, Vincent; Zielbauer, Bernhard; McKenna, Paul; Neely, David

2018-01-01

The interaction of a high-intensity laser with a solid target produces an energetic distribution of electrons that pass into the target. These electrons reach the rear surface of the target creating strong electric potentials that act to restrict the further escape of additional electrons. The measurement of the angle, flux and spectra of the electrons that do escape gives insights to the initial interaction. Here, the escaping electrons have been measured using a differentially filtered imag...

Propagation characteristics of a Gaussian laser beam in plasma with modulated collision frequency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Ying; Yuan Chengxun; Zhou Zhongxiang; Gao Ruilin; Li Lei; Du Yanwei

2012-01-01

The propagation characteristics of a Gaussian laser beam in cold plasma with the electron collision frequency modulated by laser intensity are presented. The nonlinear dynamics of the ponderomotive force, which induce nonlinear self-focusing as opposed to spatial diffraction, are considered. The effective dielectric function of the Drude model and complex eikonal function are adopted in deriving coupled differential equations of the varying laser beam parameters. In the framework of ponderomotive nonlinearity, the frequency of electron collision in plasmas, which is proportional to the spatial electron density, is strongly interrelated with the laser beam propagation characteristics. Hence, the propagation properties of the laser beam and the modulated electron collision frequency distribution in plasma were studied and explained in depth. Employing this self-consistent method, the obtained simulation results approach practical conditions, which is of significance to the study of laser–plasma interactions.

Applying Boundary Conditions Using a Time-Dependent Lagrangian for Modeling Laser-Plasma Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, Jonathan; Shadwick, B. A.

2016-10-01

Modeling the evolution of a short, intense laser pulse propagating through an underdense plasma is of particular interest in the physics of laser-plasma interactions. Numerical models are typically created by first discretizing the equations of motion and then imposing boundary conditions. Using the variational principle of Chen and Sudan, we spatially discretize the Lagrangian density to obtain discrete equations of motion and a discrete energy conservation law which is exactly satisfied regardless of the spatial grid resolution. Modifying the derived equations of motion (e.g., enforcing boundary conditions) generally ruins energy conservation. However, time-dependent terms can be added to the Lagrangian which force the equations of motion to have the desired boundary conditions. Although some foresight is needed to choose these time-dependent terms, this approach provides a mechanism for energy to exit the closed system while allowing the conservation law to account for the loss. An appropriate time discretization scheme is selected based on stability analysis and resolution requirements. We present results using this variational approach in a co-moving coordinate system and compare such results to those using traditional second-order methods. This work was supported by the U. S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-SC0008382 and by the National Science Foundation under Contract No. PHY- 1104683.

Absorption of CO2 laser light by a dense, high temperature plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peacock, N.J.; Forrest, M.J.; Morgan, P.D.; Offenberger, A.A.

1977-01-01

The interaction between a pulsed, CO 2 laser beam and the plasma produced in a plasma focus device is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The CO 2 laser radiation, directed orthogonal to the pinch axis and along the density gradient only weakly perturbs the focus since the radiation density of 30 J cm -3 (allowing for the Airy enhancement factor near the critical layer), is still less than the plasma thermal energy >=1 kJ cm -3 . On the contrary, the CO 2 laser beam is grossly affected by the plasma and absorption during the compressed pinch phase when the plasma frequency is much more complete than can be predicted by classical resistivity. Density fluctuations at the Langmuir frequency are measured directly for forward scattering from a probe, ruby laser beam. Since the wave numbers correspond to approximately 0.1 the Langmuir waves should appear as electron 'lines' in the scattered spectrum shifted by 427 A from the ruby laser wavelength. At low CO 2 laser pump intensity the electron wave intensity is close to the thermal level. As the pump is increased beyond a threshold of approximately 3x10 9 W/cm -2 (in vacuo) enhanced scattering is observed, reaching a factor of 30 above thermal. A WKB treatment of the electron-ion decay instability which takes into account the linear growth of waves at equal electron and ion temperatures and their convection in an inhomogeneous plasma is reasonably consistent with the observations

Radiation Dose Measurement for High-Intensity Laser Interactions with Solid Targets at SLAC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Taiee [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)

2015-09-25

A systematic study of photon and neutron radiation doses generated in high-intensity laser-solid interactions is underway at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. We found that these laser-solid experiments are being performed using a 25 TW (up to 1 J in 40 fs) femtosecond pulsed Ti:sapphire laser at the Linac Coherent Light Source’s (LCLS) Matter in Extreme Conditions (MEC) facility. Additionally, radiation measurements were performed with passive and active detectors deployed at various locations inside and outside the target chamber. Results from radiation dose measurements for laser-solid experiments at SLAC MEC in 2014 with peak intensity between 10¹⁸ to 7.1x10¹⁹ W/cm² are presented.

Scaling of Pressure with Intensity in Laser-Driven Shocks and Effects of Hot X-Ray Preheat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colvin, Jeffrey D.; Kalantar, Daniel H.

2006-01-01

To drive shocks into solids with a laser we either illuminate the material directly, or to get higher pressures, illuminate a plastic ablator that overlays the material of interest. In both cases the illumination intensity is low, <<1013 W/cm2, compared to that for traditional laser fusion targets. In this regime, the laser beam creates and interacts with a collisional, rather than a collisionless, plasma. We present scaling relationships for shock pressure with intensity derived from simulations for this low-intensity collisional plasma regime. In addition, sometimes the plastic-ablator targets have a thin flash-coating of Al on the plastic surface as a shine-through barrier; this Al layer can be a source of hot x-ray preheat. We discuss how the preheat affects the shock pressure, with application to simulating VISAR measurements from experiments conducted on various lasers on shock compression of Fe

Scaling of Pressure with Intensity in Laser-Driven Shocks and Effects of Hot X-ray Preheat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colvin, J D; Kalantar, D H

2005-01-01

To drive shocks into solids with a laser we either illuminate the material directly, or to get higher pressures, illuminate a plastic ablator that overlays the material of interest. In both cases the illumination intensity is low, 13 W/cm 2 , compared to that for traditional laser fusion targets. In this regime, the laser beam creates and interacts with a collisional, rather than a collisionless, plasma. We present scaling relationships for shock pressure with intensity derived from simulations for this low-intensity collisional plasma regime. In addition, sometimes the plastic-ablator targets have a thin flashcoating of Al on the plastic surface as a shine-through barrier; this Al layer can be a source of hot x-ray preheat. We discuss how the preheat affects the shock pressure, with application to simulating VISAR measurements from experiments conducted on various lasers on shock compression of Fe

Editorial: Focus on Laser- and Beam-Driven Plasma Accelerators

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Chan; Malka, Victor

2010-04-01

The ability of short but intense laser pulses to generate high-energy electrons and ions from gaseous and solid targets has been well known since the early days of the laser fusion program. However, during the past decade there has been an explosion of experimental and theoretical activity in this area of laser-matter interaction, driven by the prospect of realizing table-top plasma accelerators for research, medical and industrial uses, and also relatively small and inexpensive plasma accelerators for high-energy physics at the frontier of particle physics. In this focus issue on laser- and beam-driven plasma accelerators, the latest advances in this field are described. Focus on Laser- and Beam-Driven Plasma Accelerators Contents Slow wave plasma structures for direct electron acceleration B D Layer, J P Palastro, A G York, T M Antonsen and H M Milchberg Cold injection for electron wakefield acceleration X Davoine, A Beck, A Lifschitz, V Malka and E Lefebvre Enhanced proton flux in the MeV range by defocused laser irradiation J S Green, D C Carroll, C Brenner, B Dromey, P S Foster, S Kar, Y T Li, K Markey, P McKenna, D Neely, A P L Robinson, M J V Streeter, M Tolley, C-G Wahlström, M H Xu and M Zepf Dose-dependent biological damage of tumour cells by laser-accelerated proton beams S D Kraft, C Richter, K Zeil, M Baumann, E Beyreuther, S Bock, M Bussmann, T E Cowan, Y Dammene, W Enghardt, U Helbig, L Karsch, T Kluge, L Laschinsky, E Lessmann, J Metzkes, D Naumburger, R Sauerbrey, M. Scḧrer, M Sobiella, J Woithe, U Schramm and J Pawelke The optimum plasma density for plasma wakefield excitation in the blowout regime W Lu, W An, M Zhou, C Joshi, C Huang and W B Mori Plasma wakefield acceleration experiments at FACET M J Hogan, T O Raubenheimer, A Seryi, P Muggli, T Katsouleas, C Huang, W Lu, W An, K A Marsh, W B Mori, C E Clayton and C Joshi Electron trapping and acceleration on a downward density ramp: a two-stage approach R M G M Trines, R Bingham, Z Najmudin

Electromagnetically induced guiding and superradiant amplification of counter-propagating lasers in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shvets, G.; Fisch, N.J.; Pukhov, A.

1999-01-01

The interaction of counter-propagating laser pulses in a plasma is considered. When the frequencies of the two lasers are close, nonlinear modification of the refraction index results in the mutual focusing of the two beams. A short (of order the plasma period) laser pulse can be nonlinearly focused by a long counter-propagating beam which extends over the entire guiding length. It is also demonstrated that a short ( p ) laser pulse can be superradiantly amplified by a counter-propagating long low-intensity pump while remaining ultra-short. Particle-in-Cell simulations indicate that pump depletion can be as high as 40%. This implies that the long pump is efficiently compressed in time without frequency chirping and pulse stretching, making the superradiant amplification an interesting alternative to the conventional method of producing ultra-intense pulses by the chirped-pulse amplification. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

Effect of the laser wavelength: A long story of laser-plasma interaction physics for Inertial Confinement Fusion Teller Medal Lecture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Labaune Christine

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Laser-driven Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF relies on the use of high-energy laser beams to compress and ignite a thermonuclear fuel with the ultimate goal of producing energy. Fusion is the holy grail of energy sources–combining abundant fuel with no greenhouse gas emissions, minimal waste products and a scale that can meet mankind's long-term energy demands. The quality and the efficiency of the coupling of the laser beams with the target are an essential step towards the success of laser fusion. A long-term program on laser-plasma interaction physics has been pursued to understand the propagation and the coupling of laser pulses in plasmas for a wide range of parameters.

Effect of the laser wavelength: A long story of laser-plasma interaction physics for Inertial Confinement Fusion Teller Medal Lecture

Science.gov (United States)

Labaune, Christine

2016-10-01

Laser-driven Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) relies on the use of high-energy laser beams to compress and ignite a the1monuclear fuel with the ultimate goal of producing energy. Fusion is the holy grail of energy sources-combining abundant fuel with no greenhouse gas emissions, minimal waste products and a scale that can meet mankind's long-term energy demands. The quality and the efficiency of the coupling of the laser beams with the target are an essential step towards the success of laser fusion. A long-te1m program on laser-plasma interaction physics has been pursued to understand the propagation and the coupling of laser pulses in plasmas for a wide range of parameters.

Modeling of plasma plume induced during laser welding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moscicki, T.; Hoffman, J.; Szymanski, Z.

2005-01-01

During laser welding, the interaction of intense laser radiation with a work-piece leads to the formation of a long, thin, cylindrical cavity in a metal, called a keyhole. Generation of a keyhole enables the laser beam to penetrate into the work-piece and is essential for deep welding. The keyhole contains ionized metal vapour and is surrounded by molten material called the weld pool. The metal vapour, which flows from the keyhole mixes with the shielding gas flowing from the opposite direction and forms a plasma plume over the keyhole mouth. The plasma plume has considerable influence on the processing conditions. Plasma strongly absorbs laser radiation and significantly changes energy transfer from the laser beam to a material. In this paper the results of theoretical modelling of plasma plume induced during welding with CO 2 laser are presented. The set of equations consists of equation of conservation of mass, energy, momentum and the diffusion equation: ∂ρ/∂t + ∇·(ρ ρ ν =0; ∂(ρE)/∂t + ∇·( ρ ν (ρE + p)) = ∇ (k eff ∇T - Σ j h j ρ J j + (τ eff · ρ ν )) + Σ i κ i I i - R; ∂/∂t(ρ ρ ν ) + ∇· (ρ ρ ν ρ ν ) = - ∇p + ∇(τ) + ρ ρ g + ρ F, where τ is viscous tensor τ = μ[(∇ ρ ν + ∇ ρT ν )-2/3∇· ρ ν I]; ∂/∂t(ρY i ) + ∇·(ρ ρ ν Y i ) = ∇·ρD i,m ∇T i ; where μ ν denotes velocity vector, E - energy, ρ mass density; k - thermal conductivity, T- temperature, κ - absorption coefficient, I i local laser intensity, R - radiation loss function, p - pressure, h j enthalpy, J j - diffusion flux of j component, ν g - gravity, μ F - external force, μ - dynamic viscosity, I - unit tensor, Y i - mass fraction of iron vapor in the gas mixture, D i,m - mass diffusion coefficient. The terms k eff and τ eff contain the turbulent component of the thermal conductivity and the viscosity, respectively. All the material functions are functions of the temperature and mass fraction only. The equations

Intense isolated attosecond pulse generation from relativistic laser plasmas using few-cycle laser pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Guangjin; Dallari, William; Borot, Antonin; Tsakiris, George D.; Veisz, Laszlo; Krausz, Ferenc; Yu, Wei

2015-01-01

We have performed a systematic study through particle-in-cell simulations to investigate the generation of attosecond pulse from relativistic laser plasmas when laser pulse duration approaches the few-cycle regime. A significant enhancement of attosecond pulse energy has been found to depend on laser pulse duration, carrier envelope phase, and plasma scale length. Based on the results obtained in this work, the potential of attaining isolated attosecond pulses with ∼100 μJ energy for photons >16 eV using state-of-the-art laser technology appears to be within reach

Particle-in-cell Simulations of Raman Laser Amplification in Ionizing Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, Daniel S.; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2003-01-01

By using the amplifying laser pulse in a plasma-based backward Raman laser amplifier to generate the plasma by photo-ionization of a gas simultaneous with the amplification process, possible instabilities of the pumping laser pulse can be avoided. Particle-in-cell simulations are used to study this amplification mechanism, and earlier results using more elementary models of the Raman interaction are verified [D.S. Clark and N.J. Fisch, Phys. Plasmas, 9 (6): 2772-2780, 2002]. The effects (unique to amplification in ionizing plasmas and not included in previous simulations) of blue-shifting of the pump and seed laser pulses and the generation of a wake are observed not significantly to impact the amplification process. As expected theoretically, the peak output intensity is found to be limited to I ∼ 10 17 W/cm 2 by forward Raman scattering of the amplifying seed. The integrity of the ionization front of the seed pulse against the development of a possible transverse modulation instability is also demonstrated

Heating of underdense plasmas by intense lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruer, W.L.

1972-08-01

In this note we show that two intense driving fields with frequency much greater than the electron plasma frequency (ω/sub pe/), but with a frequency separation of nearly ω/sub pe/, will couple electron and ion plasma waves and drive them unstable. 6 refs

Development of high power KrF laser for fundamental research of ICF driver and laser plasma interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Naiyan; Shan Yusheng; Ma Weiyi; Yao Gang; Zhou Chuangzhi; Tang Xiuzhang; Tang Zhihong; Gao Junsi; Wang Ganchang.

1994-01-01

A high power KrF laser system is under development in China Institute of Atomic Energy. The system consists of a front end, two-stage KrF amplifiers and two-stage Raman amplifiers, providing 100J, 1ns KrF laser with maximum average power density about 10 14 W/cm 2 on target for laser plasma interaction research. Some important technologies, such as front-end system, Angular Multiplexer, and injection locked oscillator are discussed. (author)

ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION OF X-RAY HAZARD GENERATED FROM HIGH INTENSITY LASER-TARGET INTERACTIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, R.; Liu, J.C.; Prinz, A.A.; Rokni, S.H.; Woods, M.; Xia, Z.; /SLAC

2011-03-21

Interaction of a high intensity laser with matter may generate an ionizing radiation hazard. Very limited studies have been made, however, on the laser-induced radiation protection issue. This work reviews available literature on the physics and characteristics of laser-induced X-ray hazards. Important aspects include the laser-to-electron energy conversion efficiency, electron angular distribution, electron energy spectrum and effective temperature, and bremsstrahlung production of X-rays in the target. The possible X-ray dose rates for several femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser systems used at SLAC, including the short pulse laser system for the Matter in Extreme Conditions Instrument (peak power 4 TW and peak intensity 2.4 x 10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2}) were analysed. A graded approach to mitigate the laser-induced X-ray hazard with a combination of engineered and administrative controls is also proposed.

Energy transport in laser produced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Key, M.H.

1989-06-01

The study of energy transport in laser produced plasmas is of great interest both because it tests and develops understanding of several aspects of basic plasma physics and also because it is of central importance in major applications of laser produced plasmas including laser fusion, the production of intense X-ray sources, and X-ray lasers. The three sections cover thermal electrons (energy transport in one dimension, plane targets and lateral transport from a focal spot, thermal smoothing, thermal instabilities), hot electrons (preheating in one dimension, lateral transport from a focal spot) and radiation (preheating in one dimension, lateral transport and smoothing, instabilities). (author)

Plasma satellites of X-ray lines of ions in a picosecond laser plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belyaev, V.S.; Vinogradov, V.I.; Kurilov, A.S.; Matafonov, A.P.; Lisitsa, V.S.; Gavrilenko, V. P.; Faenov, A.Ya.; Pikuz, T.A.; Skobelev, I.Yu.; Magunov, A.I.; Pikuz, S.A. Jr.

2004-01-01

We present the results of our measurements of the spectra for multicharged ions in a plasma produced by moderately intense (about 10 17 W cm -2 ) picosecond laser pulses. They suggest the existence of intense plasma oscillations with a frequency appreciably lower than the frequency of the laser radiation. The observed spectrum for the plasma satellites of the Lyman Ly α doublet of the hydrogenic F IX ion in a dense plasma was modeled theoretically. The resulting doublet profile was shown to have a complex structure that depends nontrivially both on the plasma density and on the frequency and amplitude of the plasma oscillations. The positions of the satellites and their separations allowed them to be associated with intense electrostatic oscillations with an amplitude of (4-6) x 10 8 V cm -1 and a frequency near (0.7-1) x 10 15 s -1 . Assuming the oscillation frequency to be determined by the strength of the magnetic field B generated in the plasma, we obtained an estimate of B that is in reasonable agreement with other measurements and estimates of this quantity. Our theoretical analysis allowed explanation of the emission spectra observed when flat fluoroplastic targets were heated by intense picosecond laser pulses

Target micro-displacement measurement by a "comb" structure of intensity distribution in laser plasma propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Z. Y.; Zhang, S. Q.; Gao, L.; Gao, H.

2015-05-01

A "comb" structure of beam intensity distribution is designed and achieved to measure a target displacement of micrometer level in laser plasma propulsion. Base on the "comb" structure, the target displacement generated by nanosecond laser ablation solid target is measured and discussed. It is found that the "comb" structure is more suitable for a thin film target with a velocity lower than tens of millimeters per second. Combing with a light-electric monitor, the `comb' structure can be used to measure a large range velocity.