Saturation of the two-plasmon decay instability in long-scale-length plasmas relevant to direct-drive inertial confinement fusion

Measurements of the hot-electron generation by the two-plasmon-decay instability are made in plasmas relevant to direct-drive inertial confinement fusion. Density-scale lengths of 400 μm at n(cr)/4 in planar CH targets allowed the two-plasmon-decay instability to be driven to saturation for vacuum intensities above ~3.5×10(14) W cm(-2). In the saturated regime, ~1% of the laser energy is converted to hot electrons. The hot-electron temperature is measured to increase rapidly from 25 to 90 keV as the laser beam intensity is increased from 2 to 7×10(14) W cm(-2). This increase in the hot-electron temperature is compared with predictions from nonlinear Zakharov models.     

飞秒激光-薄膜靶相互作用中超热电子产额和激光转化效率

 在激光能量130 mJ（靶面），脉宽60 fs，波长800 nm，对比度1∶10^-6，激光与靶法线成45°夹角，P偏振，靶面激光峰值功率密度约为7.0×10¹⁷ W·cm^-2，无预脉冲的条件下，采用电子谱仪与经γ标准源标定的LiF热释光探测器（TLD）相配合，测量了飞秒激光-薄膜靶相互作用中产生的超热电子能谱。根据所测的能谱，推算出超热电子的产额和激光能量转化为超热电子能量的效率，在靶法线方向分别为1.19×10¹⁰/sr和4.55%/sr，在激光反射方向分别为1.83×10⁹/sr和0.76%/sr。结果显示，不同方向的超热电子产额和激光转化效率有所不同，原因在于激光-等离子体相互作用产生的超热电子构成各向异性的分布。     

铝靶三倍频激光烧蚀参数实验研究

叙述了采用时间空间积分晶体谱仪和时间分辨晶体谱仪等探测器测量铝平面靶强激光烧蚀参数的方法，给出了三倍频强激光烧蚀铝平面靶的质量烧蚀速率和烧蚀压。实验结果与收集到的国外数据进行了比较，它们在误差范围内一致。     

Watt-level ~2 μm laser output in Tm3+-doped tungsten tellurite glass double-cladding fiber

We report, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, a watt level cw fiber laser at ~2 μm from a piece of 40-cm-long newly developed highly thulium-doped (3.76 × 10(20) ions/cm(3)) tungsten tellurite glass double cladding fiber pumped by a commercial 800 nm laser diode. The maximum output power of the fiber laser reaches 1.12 W. The slope efficiency and the optical-optical efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump are 20% and 16%, respectively. The lasing threshold is 1.46 W, and the lasing wavelength is centered at 1937 nm.     

Strong-field above-threshold photoemission from sharp metal tips

We present energy-resolved measurements of electron emission from sharp metal tips driven with low energy pulses from a few-cycle laser oscillator. We observe above-threshold photoemission with a photon order of up to 9. At a laser intensity of ～ 2 × 10(11) W/cm2 the suppression of the lowest order peak occurs, indicating the onset of strong-field effects. We also observe peak shifting linearly with intensity, with a slope of around -1.0 eV/(10(12) W/cm2). We attribute the magnitude of the laser field effects to field enhancement taking place at the tip's surface.     

Hot electron temperature and coupling efficiency scaling with prepulse for cone-guided fast ignition

The effect of increasing prepulse energy levels on the energy spectrum and coupling into forward-going electrons is evaluated in a cone-guided fast-ignition relevant geometry using cone-wire targets irradiated with a high intensity (10(20) W/cm(2)) laser pulse. Hot electron temperature and flux are inferred from Kα images and yields using hybrid particle-in-cell simulations. A two-temperature distribution of hot electrons was required to fit the full profile, with the ratio of energy in a higher energy (MeV) component increasing with a larger prepulse. As prepulse energies were increased from 8 mJ to 1 J, overall coupling from laser to all hot electrons entering the wire was found to fall from 8.4% to 2.5% while coupling into only the 1-3 MeV electrons dropped from 0.57% to 0.03%.     

Time-resolved measurements of hot-electron equilibration dynamics in high-intensity laser interactions with thin-foil solid targets

Time-resolved K(α) spectroscopy has been used to infer the hot-electron equilibration dynamics in high-intensity laser interactions with picosecond pulses and thin-foil solid targets. The measured K(α)-emission pulse width increases from ~3 to 6 ps for laser intensities from ~10(18) to 10(19) W/cm(2). Collisional energy-transfer model calculations suggest that hot electrons with mean energies from ~0.8 to 2 MeV are contained inside the target. The inferred mean hot-electron energies are broadly consistent with ponderomotive scaling over the relevant intensity range.     

Above threshold ionization in tightly focused,strongly relativistic laser fields

The dynamics of electrons ionized from high charge states by lasers with intensity >10(20) W/cm(2) have been studied. At these intensities vxB forces drive the electrons subsequent to ionization in a trajectory nearly parallel to the laser propagation direction. This gives rise to large energy gains as the electron rides in phase with the laser field over a long distance. Monte Carlo simulations illustrate that, unlike in case of ionization in sub- and near-relativistic intensity fields (<10(19) W/cm(2)), the electron dynamics in the ultrarelativistic case are strongly influenced by the longitudinal electric fields found near the focus of a tightly focused laser.     

Characterization of relativistic electrons generated by a cone guiding laser pulse

We demonstrated the interaction of a gold cone target with a femto second(fs) laser pulse above the relativistic intensity of 1.37×10 18 μm 2 W/cm 2.Relativistic electrons with energy above 2 MeV were observed.A 25%-40% increase of the electron temperature is achieved compared to the case when a plane gold target is used.The electron temperature increase results from the guiding of the laser beam at the tip and the intense quasistatic magnetic field in the cone geometry.The behavior of the relativistic electrons is verified in our 2D-PIC simulations.     

fs激光在靶背表面产生的质子束成丝

 介绍了利用3TW/60fs钛宝石超短超强激光与20μm铜薄膜靶相互作用的实验。实验观测到质子束的角分布随激光功率密度有所变化。在较高的功率密度（～1×10¹⁸ W/cm²）时，观测到环状的质子束分布，发散角较大。在较低的激光功率密度（～2×10¹⁷ W/cm²）时，质子束发散角减小，质子束出现成丝现象。质子束的角分布实际上反映了从靶前输运到靶背的超热电子电流横向分布。在输运过程中，由于Weibel不稳定性会使超热电子电流出现空心化并最后破裂成丝。     

Radiation-pressure acceleration of ion beams from nanofoil targets: the leaky light-sail regime

A new ion radiation-pressure acceleration regime, the "leaky light sail," is proposed which uses sub-skin-depth nanometer foils irradiated by circularly polarized laser pulses. In the regime, the foil is partially transparent, continuously leaking electrons out along with the transmitted laser field. This feature can be exploited by a multispecies nanofoil configuration to stabilize the acceleration of the light ion component, supplementing the latter with an excess of electrons leaked from those associated with the heavy ions to avoid Coulomb explosion. It is shown by 2D particle-in-cell simulations that a monoenergetic proton beam with energy 18 MeV is produced by circularly polarized lasers at intensities of just 101? W/cm2. 100 MeV proton beams are obtained by increasing the intensities to 2 × 102? W/cm2.     

激光辐照柱体铝靶的三维光滑粒子流体动力学仿真

在现有光滑粒子流体动力学方法基础上,提出了结合差分方法处理激光辐照边界条件的方法,并利用此方法自编程序模拟计算了功率密度为5.0109 W/cm2的强连续激光辐照铝靶时的热-力学效应,准确给出了与激光作用的边界粒子的分布和飞散情况,同时给出了不同时刻靶体的温度场,得到了温度分布规律,并对结果进行了分析。     

Role of cluster transient mobility in pulsed laser deposition-type growth kinetics

The ballistic motion of kinetically hyperthermal clusters on corrugated potential energy surfaces is studied by molecular dynamics simulations. Under pulsed laser deposition conditions, such clusters are generated due to the supersaturation flux and nonthermal energies of the incident species, a fraction of which is transferred to the clusters. This energy transfer, together with the flattening of the potential energy surface due to the cluster inner bonds, causes a lengthening of the ballistic paths as the cluster size increases. These results help explain the enhancement of growth kinetics by pulsed laser deposition.     

Femtosecond microscopy of radial energy transport in a micrometer-scale aluminum plasma excited at relativistic intensity

Using femtosecond microscopy, we observe subpicosecond transport of thermal energy radially outward from a micrometer-sized spot of an aluminum target following P-polarized excitation at >10(18) W/cm2 with a 24 fs pulse. The rapid expansion coincides with the onset of nonlocal energy transport dominated by radiation and hot electrons.     

Generation of a dense electron beam in a thin film using an ultraintense femtosecond laser pulse

Electron dynamics in a thin target irradiated with femtosecond laser pulses at an intensity of 10²⁰ W/cm² is studied in the framework of the kinetic theory of laser plasma based on the construction of propagators (in classical limit) for electron and ion distribution functions in plasma. The calculations are performed for real densities and charges of plasma ions. Electrons are partly ejected from the target. The laser pulse energy is predominantly absorbed by electrons, and the electrons are accelerated to relatively high energies.     

Three-dimensional simulations of ion acceleration from a foil irradiated by a short-pulse laser

Using 3D particle-in-cell simulations we study ion acceleration from a foil irradiated by a laser pulse at 10(19) W/cm(2) intensity. At the front side, the laser ponderomotive force pushes electrons inwards, thus creating the electric field by charge separation, which drags the ions. At the back side of the foil, the ions are accelerated by space charge of the hot electrons exiting into vacuum, as suggested by Hatchett et al. [Phys. Plasmas 7, 2076 (2000)]. The transport of hot electrons through the overdense plasma and their exit into vacuum are strongly affected by self-generated magnetic fields. The fast ions emerge from the rear surface in cones similar to those detected by Clark et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 670 (2000)].     

脉冲激光与碲镉汞相互作用时的冲量耦合

在激光功率密度为４．０×１０８～５．０×１０９Ｗｃｍ－２的范围内，用冲击摆测量了ＮｄＹＡＧ脉冲激光（波长为１．０６μｍ，脉宽为１０ｎｓ）辐照大气中不同面积的ＨｇＣｄＴｅ样品时的冲量耦合系数。从理论上建立了等离子体爆轰模型，对激光结束后等离子体的膨胀过程进行了比较详细的描述，用此模型计算了不同能量的脉冲激光与不同面积的ＨｇＣｄＴｅ相互作用时的冲量耦合系数，计算值与测量值符合得较好。     

Focusing of a tabletop soft-x-ray laser beam and laser ablation

We focused the beam of a high-repetition-rate capillary-discharge tabletop laser operating at a wavelength of 46.9 nm, using a spherical Si/Sc multilayer mirror. The energy densities significantly exceeded the thresholds for the ablation of metals. Single-shot laser ablation patterns were used in combination with ray-tracing computations to characterize the focused beam. The radiation intensity within the 2-mum -diameter central region of the focal spot was estimated to be approximately 10(11)W/cm(2), with a corresponding energy density of ~100 J/cm(2).     

Peak intensity measurement of relativistic lasers via nonlinear Thomson scattering

The measurement of peak laser intensities exceeding 10(20) W/cm(2) is in general a very challenging task. We suggest a simple method to accurately measure such high intensities up to about 10(23) W/cm(2), by colliding a beam of ultrarelativistic electrons with the laser pulse. The method exploits the high directionality of the radiation emitted by ultrarelativistic electrons via nonlinear Thomson scattering. Initial electron energies well within the reach of laser wake-field accelerators are required, allowing in principle for an all-optical setup. Accuracies of the order of 10% are theoretically envisaged.     

Ne离子束辐照引起Gd2Ti2O7烧绿石体积肿胀效应研究

在液氮低温下用400 keV的Ne2+离子束对Gd₂Ti₂O₇多晶烧绿石进行了辐照实验研究, 离子束辐照量范围为5×1014—1×1016ions/cm2。利用掠X射线衍射技术对样品辐照层的结构变化进行了分析表征, X射线的掠射角分别为γ=0.25°, 0.5°, 1°和3°。结果表明: 在该实验条件的离子束辐照下, Gd₂Ti₂O₇辐照层会发生明显的体积肿胀效应, 体积肿胀程度随入射离子束辐照量的增大而增大; 在同一辐照量下, 辐照层的体积肿胀程度也随X射线入射角的增大而增大。当辐照量达到1×1016ions/cm2时, 辐照层发生非晶化相变。Polycrystalline pyrochlore Gd₂Ti₂O₇ compounds were irradiated with 400 keV Ne2+ ions at cryogenic temperature (~77 K). The irradiation fluences was ranging from 5×1014 to 1×1016 ions/cm2, corresponding to a peak ballistic damage dose of ~0.16 to 3.3 displacements per atom . Irradiation\|induced structural evolution was examined using grazing incidence X\|ray diffraction (GIXRD) at angles from 0.25° to 3° degrees. It was found that the lattice parameter increases as a function of (1) X\|ray incident angle and (2) ion irradiation fluence, suggesting that the irradiated layer is volumetrically swelled compared with the underlying un\|irradiated substrate. At ion fluence of 1×1016 ions/cm2, the irradiation layer was found to be amorphous.