Study of the conditions for the effective energy transfer in a process of acceleration and collision of the thin metal disks with the massive target

Efficiency studies of laser driven thin metal disks acceleration using the first harmonic (λ₁=1.315 μm) of the Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS) and subsequent craters creation produced by collisions of these disks with massive targets are presented. Several different disks made of aluminium and copper foils with diameters of 300 μm and 600 μm and thicknesses of 11 μm (Al) and 3.6 μ m (Cu) were employed. Disks were placed at the distance of either 100 μ m or 300 μm in front of aluminium massive targets. The following irradiation conditions were used: the laser beam energy of 120 J, the focal spot diameter of 200 μm, and the pulse duration of 0.4 ns (FWHM). A three-frame interferometric system was employed to determine electron density distributions in plasma corona. Shape and volume of craters were obtained by crater replica technology and microscopy measurements. The aim of these investigations was to analyse conditions leading to the most effective energy transfer in the process of collision of the accelerated disks with solid targets. The overall efficiency of these processes was characterized by the volume of craters produced in such targets.     

Dynamic imaging and hydrodynamics study of high velocity, laser-accelerated thin foil targets using multiframe optical shadowgraphy

The main aim of the study of thin target foil–laser interaction experiments is to understand the physics of hydrodynamics of the foil acceleration, which is highly relevant to inertial confinement fusion (ICF). This paper discusses a simple, inexpensive multiframe optical shadowgraphy diagnostics developed for dynamic imaging of high velocity laser-accelerated target foils of different thicknesses. The diagnostic has a spatial and temporal resolution of 12 μm and 500 ps respectively in the measurements. The target velocity is in the range of 10⁶–10⁷ cm/s. Hydrodynamic efficiency of such targets was measured by energy balance experiments together with the measurement of kinetic energy of the laser-driven targets. Effect of target foil thickness on the hydrodynamics of aluminum foils was studied for determining the optimum conditions for obtaining a directed kinetic energy transfer of the accelerated foil. The diagnostics has also been successfully used to study ablatively accelerated targets of other novel materials.     

Studies of craters’ dimension for long-pulse laser ablation of metal targets at various experimental conditions

Long pulse laser shots of the PALS iodine laser in Prague have been used to obtain metal target ablation at various experimental conditions. Attention is paid mainly to the dependencies of the crater diameter on the position of minimum laser-focus spot with regard to the target surface, by using different laser wavelengths and laser energies. Not only a single one, but two minima, independently of the wavelength, of the target irradiation angle and of the target material, were recorded. Significant asymmetries, ascribed to the non-linear effects of intense laser beam with pre-formed plasma, were found, too. Estimations of ejected mass per laser pulse are reported and used to calculate the efficiency of laser-driven loading. Results on metal target ablation and crater formation at high intensities (from 2 × 10¹³ to 3 × 10¹⁶ W/cm²) are presented and compared. Crater depth, crater diameter and etching yield are reported versus the laser energy, in order to evaluate the ablation threshold fluence.     

Laser‐Triggered Proton Acceleration From Micro‐Structured thin Targets

By using relativistic massively parallel PIC code MANDOR, which features arbitrary target design including 3D micro‐structuring, a study of ion acceleration in short laser pulse interaction with different thin targets has been performed. Based on 3D simulation results it has been shown that micro‐structures on the front surface of thin plane targets increase a number and energy of hot electrons in comparison with that for the case of pure plain foils of optimal thickness. As a result, the energy of accelerated ions also increases up to 50%. However, the efficiency of ion acceleration from structured target reduces with laser pulse intensity increase, so that for laser pulses of ultra‐relativistic intensity a positive role of surface micro‐structuring diminishes. We have also studied to which extent a sub‐ps imperfection of the laser pulse shape, which smoothes the surface micro‐structures suppresses high‐energy ion generation. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Numerical simulation of turbulent mixing in plane laser targets

Results of 1D (with allowance for thek−∈ model) and 2D numerical simulations of laser-driven acceleration of corrugated foils are presented. They are made on the basis of two Lagrangian-Eulerian codes, the ATLANT code (Lebedev Physical Institute and Institute of Mathematical Modeling, Moscow) and the EGAK-LAZ code (All-Russian Scientific-Research Institute of Experimental Physics, Sarov). The simulations are made for the experimental conditions of the MISHEN’ laser installation (Nd laser with pulse energy of 50–100 J, TRINITI, Troitsk). The simulations based on the ATLANT and EGAK codes are in good agreement. The foil velocity obtained in the calculations agrees well with the experimental data. It is shown that turbulent mixing leads to a lower average density of nonablative foils. This enables one to determine empirical parameters of thek−∈ model from a comparison of experimental and calculation results. Translated from Preprint of the P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute No. 19 (1997).     

Crater geometry characterization of Al targets irradiated by single pulse and pulse trains of Nd:YAG laser in ambient air and water

High intensities laser pulses are capable to generate a crater when irradiating metal targets. In such condition, after each irradiation significant ablation occurs on the target surface and as a result a crater is formed. The crater characterization is very important specifically for some applications such as micromachining. In this paper, the crater formation in metal targets was studied experimentally. The planar aluminum 5052 targets were irradiated by frequency doubled (532 nm), Q-switched Nd:YAG (∼6 ns) laser beam in ambient air and distilled water. A crater was produced after each irradiation and it was characterized by an optical microscope. Different laser intensities as well as pulse trains were applied for crater formation. The effects of laser characteristics in crater geometry were examined. The depth of the craters was measured by optical microscope and the diameter (width) was characterized by processing of the crater image. The results were explained in terms of ablation threshold and plasma shielding. The results show that the crater geometry extremely depends on the laser pulse intensity, the number of laser pulses, and ambient.     

Modelling and optimisation of fs laser-produced K<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis></Subscript> sources

Recent theoretical and numerical studies of laser-driven femtosecond K _α sources are presented, aimed at understanding a recent experimental campaign to optimize emission from thin coating targets. Particular attention is given to control over the laser–plasma interaction conditions defined by the interplay between a controlled prepulse and the angle of incidence. It is found that the x-ray efficiency for poor-contrast laser systems in which a large preplasma is suspected can be enhanced by using a near-normal incidence geometry even at high laser intensities. With high laser contrast, similar efficiencies can be achieved by going to larger incidence angles, but only at the expense of larger x-ray spot size. New developments in three-dimensional modelling are also reported with the goal of handling interactions with geometrically complex targets and finite resistivity.     

Advanced targets,diagnostics and applications of laser-generated plasmas

High-intensity sub-nanosecond-pulsed lasers irradiating thin targets in vacuum permit generation of electrons and ion acceleration and high photon yield emission in non-equilibrium plasmas. At intensities higher than 10¹⁵?W/cm² thin foils can be irradiated in the target-normal sheath acceleration regime driving ion acceleration in the forward direction above 1?MeV per charge state. The distributions of emitted ions in terms of energy, charge state and angular emission are controlled by laser parameters, irradiation conditions, target geometry and composition. Advanced targets can be employed to increase the laser absorption in thin foils and to enhance the energy and the yield of the ion acceleration process. Semiconductor detectors, Thomson parabola spectrometer and streak camera can be employed as online plasma diagnostics to monitor the plasma parameters, shot by shot. Some applications in the field of the multiple ion implantation, hadrontherapy and nuclear physics are reported.     

利用光学高速阴影照相,研究激光等离子体相互作用的波长及强度定标律

利用光学高速阴影照相,研究了激光在透明介质中的传播。有如下结果:(1)比较了两种不同激光波长上(λ₁=1.3μm及λ₂=0.44μm),在具有相同吸收激光强度下,所产生的不同冲击波压力。(2)分析了冲击波压力对靶面吸收激光功率的依赖关系。 关键词：     

Investigation of the effect of plasma waves excitation on target normal sheath ion acceleration using fs laser‐irradiating hydrogenated structures

Measurements of ion acceleration in polymethylmethacrylate foils covered by a thin copper film irradiated by fs laser in target normal sheath acceleration regime are presented. The ion acceleration depends on the laser parameters, such as the pulse energy; depends on the irradiation conditions, such as the focal point position of the laser with respect to the target surface; and depends on the target properties, such as the metallic film thickness. The proton acceleration increases in the presence of the metallic film enhancing the plasma electron density, reaching about 1.6 MeV energy for a focal position on the target surface. The plasma diagnostics uses SiC detectors, absorber foils, Faraday cups, and gafchromic films. Employing p‐polarized laser light and a suitable oblique incidence, it is possible to increase the proton acceleration up to about 2.0 MeV thanks to the effects of laser absorption resonance due to plasma waves excitation.     

Anomalous burn-through of thin foils by high-intensity laser radiation

The paper presents results of experiments performed on the Pico facility in which foils were heated by laser radiation, and anomalously fast burn-through of foils by a structured laser beam was detected. Comparison with two-dimensional calculations has allowed us to suggest a tentative mechanism for the effect under investigation. The targets in the experiments were thin aluminum foils of thickness 3 to 40 μm. The flux density of laser radiation on the target surface varied between 10¹³ and 10¹⁴ W/cm². We detected a strong dependence of the transmitted energy on the foil thickness and the shortening of the transmitted laser pulse. Penetration of laser radiation through foils with thicknesses considerably larger than 3 μm has been observed, although it was stated in earlier publications [V. V. Ivanov, A. K. Knyazev, A. V. Kutsenko, et al., Kratk. Soobshch. Fiz. FIAN No. 7–8, 37 (1997)]; A. é. Bugrov, I. N. Burdonskii, V. V. Gol’tsov et al., Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 903 (1997) [JETP 84, 903 (1997)] that, at the laser radiation parameters used in our experiment, the evaporated layer of the foil could not be thicker than 2 μm. Two-dimensional calculations have allowed us to interpret this effect in terms of local “piercing” of the target at spots on the target surface where the radiation intensity has its peaks. The possibility of reducing these peaks by using a symmetrizing prepulse is discussed in the paper. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 1287–1299 (October 1999)     

纳秒激光冲击加载的全过程诊断

 与传统的冲击加载方式相比,激光驱动试样具有微尺寸（直径小于1 mm,厚度约10 μm）、超短作用过程（纳秒量级）等特点,但其速度变化历史的实时诊断颇为困难,因此发展适用于激光驱动的高时空分辨率的实时测试技术是十分重要和有价值的。采用桌面式脉冲Nd:YAG激光器作为加载平台,发展了激光加载下的小焦点多普勒光纤探针测量系统（焦斑直径约200 μm,时间分辨力约50 ps）,成功实现了从激光脉冲驱动微尺寸飞片飞行直至撞击Z-切石英试样的全过程实时诊断。实验结果显示,将6 μm 厚Al箔飞片驱动至2.48 km/s时,撞击Z-切石英试样的粒子速度为1.27 km/s,与Hugoniot理论计算结果相符,表明该测试技术是可靠、有效的;多层薄膜靶结构设计（基底/烧蚀层/硅油/Al箔）可提升激光与靶物质的能量耦合效率,使飞片保持更好的宏观完整性。为开展超短脉冲激光加载下材料动态特性研究提供了一种有效的技术途径。     

强激光斜入射半腔靶能量注入率测量

在星光II单束激光条件下,通过新的方法、用热释电能量卡计和scientech378能量卡计测量了1.053 μm激光45°斜入射半腔靶及孔靶激光能量注入率,并估计了斜入射条件下的等离子体堵口速度。实验结果表明：相同参数条件下半腔靶与孔靶相比,激光能量注入率减少约10%。     

Femtosecond X-ray line emission from multilayer targets irradiated by short laser pulses

The invention of high-power, ultra-short-pulse lasers has opened the way to investigations aimed at the creation of a new type of bright X-ray source for various uses including material science applications and time-resolved X-ray diffraction for biology. The efficiency with which laser energy incident on a solid target is converted into an X-ray emission depends on many factors, including the temporal profile of the laser pulse. Here we report the results of our theoretical and experimental investigations of the line X-ray emission from layered solid targets irradiated by ultra-short laser pulses. The laser prepulse parameters and target thickness are optimized to convert the maximum laser energy into an emission in the selected X-ray line. Multilayer foils are proposed to increase the energy of the K-line emission from laser plasma while simultaneously keeping the X-ray pulse duration at a hundred femtoseconds. The emission is studied both experimentally and theoretically by means of an analytical model and numerical simulations. PACS 52.38.Ph; 52.38.Dx; 52.50.Jm     

强激光斜入射半腔靶能量注入率测量

 在星光II单束激光条件下,通过新的方法、用热释电能量卡计和scientech378能量卡计测量了1.053 μm激光45°斜入射半腔靶及孔靶激光能量注入率,并估计了斜入射条件下的等离子体堵口速度。实验结果表明：相同参数条件下半腔靶与孔靶相比,激光能量注入率减少约10%。     

Effects of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions on numerical simulations of inertial confinement fusion plasmas

Effects of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) condition on emission and hydrodynamics of typical inertial confinement fusion (ICF) plasmas are studied. The average degree of ionization at high temperatures is seen to be much lower compared to the values obtained from Thomas-Fermi scaling or Saha equation for high-Z element like gold. LTE and non-LTE predictions for emitted radiation from laser-driven gold foil are compared with the experimental results and it is seen that non-LTE simulations show a marked improvement over LTE results. The effects of one group and multigroup, LTE and non-LTE approximations of radiation transport on hydrodynamic parameters are studied for laser-driven aluminium and gold foils. It is further seen that non-LTE and multigroup effects play an important role in predicting conversion efficiency of laser light to X-rays.     

Harmonic and sum-frequency generation of pulsed laser radiation in BBO,LBO, and KD*P

The optical properties of the nonlinear crystals lithium borate (LBO), barium borate (BBO) and deuterated potassium phosphate (KD*P) are compared for second and third harmonic generation of Nd:YAG laser radiation. In an experimental investigation the conversion efficiency has been measured as a function of the energy density of 8 ns long laser pulses, generated by a commercial Nd:YAG oscillator-amplifier system. In LBO and BBO the second harmonic generation saturates at an energy density of about 1.5 J cm^–2 at efficiencies of 55–60%. In KD*P comparable efficiencies (40–55%) require energy densities of 2–2.6 J cm^–2. Similar results are obtained for frequency tripling. In LBO and BBO saturated efficiencies of 20–25% are measured at an energy density of about 1.5 J cm^–2. In KD*P efficiencies of 20% are obtained at energy densities exceeding 2 J cm^–2. Besides for doubling and tripling of Nd:YAG laser radiation the phase-matching is calculated for frequency conversion of tunable laser light. The results demonstrate that in LBO and BBO phase-matched sum-frequency mixing of UV and infrared laser light generates tunable radiation at wavelengths as short as the transmission cut-off at 160 nm and 190 nm, respectively.     

Laser-driven electron beam and radiation sources for basic,medical and industrial sciences

To date active research on laser-driven plasma-based accelerators have achieved great progress on production of high-energy, high-quality electron and photon beams in a compact scale. Such laser plasma accelerators have been envisaged bringing a wide range of applications in basic, medical and industrial sciences. Here inheriting the groundbreaker’s review article on “Laser Acceleration and its future” [Toshiki Tajima, (2010)],¹⁾ we would like to review recent progress of producing such electron beams due to relativistic laser-plasma interactions followed by laser wakefield acceleration and lead to the scaling formulas that are useful to design laser plasma accelerators with controllability of beam energy and charge. Lastly specific examples of such laser-driven electron/photon beam sources are illustrated.     

约束靶面黑漆涂层对激光冲击波的影响

 介绍了约束靶表面的黑漆涂层对激光冲击波的影响。激光功率密度 10⁹W/cm²量级，脉宽33ns，波长1.06μm。靶材选用两种不同厚度的铜和铝，靶表面用有机玻璃约束。通过对冲击波压力的直接测量发现，涂层不仅可以增加激光冲击波压力，而且还影响冲击波的演化过程。比较有无涂层的靶面SEM照片发现，黑漆涂层能有效地保护激光辐照表面，使之不受激光烧蚀。     

High-energy,nuclear, and QED processes in strong laser fields

Various applications of ultraintense laser fields in particle physics, nuclear science, and quantum electrodynamics are presented. We discuss laser-driven lepton-pair creation, photon splitting, high-harmonic generation from both vacuum and muonic atoms, and direct nuclear excitation. All of these processes may come into experimental reach by near-future laser technology.