Anomalously deep penetration of hydrogen and deuterium in assemblies from Nb foils and deuterated polyethylene (CD<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript> under the pulse high temperature hydrogen plasma

Studies of the storage and redistribution of hydrogen atoms under pulse high temperature hydrogen plasma that was obtained using a PF-4 Plasma Focus facility in a multilayered structure (sandwich) which consists of two high-purity niobium foils and a deuterium polyethylene film pressed between them have been carried out using the method for elastic recoil detection (ERD). It was established that, with an increase in pulses of the PF-4 facility, the redistribution of implanted hydrogen atoms for large depths occurs in the two Nb foils and deuterated polyethylene. The depths substantially exceed the projective range of paths of hydrogen ions (at their maximum velocity of ∼10⁸ cm/s). A maximum hydrogen concentration of 45 at % is reached in the nearest surface of the second Nb foil to the PF-4 at 20 pulses of hydrogen plasma. An X-ray diffraction analysis showed the presence of a niobium hydride phase in both Nb foils. The redistribution of deuterium atoms from the bound state of deuterated polyethylene into the near-surface layer and the bulk material of the second Nb foil was detected as well. This phenomenon can be attributed to the transfer of implanted hydrogen atoms through the foil assembly and the transfer of deuterium from deuterated polyethylene into the near-surface layer of the second foil under the effect of powerful shock waves that are created by pulse hydrogen plasma and by acceleration in the diffusion of hydrogen and deuterium in the strain field induced by the shock wave.     

Hydrogen transport in a niobium-foil assembly under the action of high-temperature hydrogen plasma on a plasma focus setup

The process of hydrogen transport under the action of hydrogen-plasma pulses in the Plasma Focus (PF-4) setup in an assembly of niobium foils with thicknesses of 110 μm each is studied. It is established that the implanted hydrogen is transported to large depths in the Nb foils under the action of the hydrogen plasma. These depths considerably exceed the paths of hydrogen ions from the plasma as the maximum ion velocities are on the order of 10⁸ cm/s. The highest concentration of hydrogen (up to 60 at %) is reached on the surface of the third Nb foil of the assembly. The discovered phenomenon can be explained by the action of shock waves of arising stresses upon the transport and redistribution of hydrogen to considerable depths.     

Deuterium and hydrogen distribution in a stack of Ta|(CD2) n |Ta foils under the action of high-temperature pulsed nitrogen plasma

Using the method of the elastic recoil detection (ERD) of hydrogen nuclei and a Plasma Focus setup (PF-4), we study the processes of the storage and redistribution of hydrogen and deuterium atoms in a stack of two tantalum foils and a deuterated polyethylene film sandwiched between them under pulsed irradiation with hot nitrogen plasma. It is established that the redistribution of implanted deuterium and hydrogen occurs at greater depths in both tantalum foils after 30 pulses of nitrogen plasma. The maximum concentrations of hydrogen and deuterium, namely 7 and 45 at % are observed on the surface of the second tantalum foil which is more distant from the PF-4 setup. The redistribution of deuterium from deuterated polyethylene onto the surface and volume of both Ta foils is observed. The observed phenomenon can be explained by the breaking of chemical bonds in the deuterated polyethylene and the transfer of freed deuterium into the Ta foils under the action of strong shock waves formed in the structure, as well as the accelerated diffusion of hydrogen and deuterium in the stress field caused by the shock wave.     

Deuterium accumulation in an assembly of nickel foils irradiated by high-temperature deuterium plasma

The accumulation of deuterium in an assembly of nickel foils by the pulsed irradiation of a deuterium plasma is studied. It is established that implanted deuterium is transferred to a much greater depth than that corresponding to the projective range of deuterium plasma ions with a maximum velocity of 10⁸ cm/s. The maximum concentration (up to 4 at % deuterium) is observed in the second Ni foil. The observed phenomenon can be explained by the action of shock waves and concomitant stresses on the transport and redistribution of deuterium to greater depths.     

Study of deuterium and hydrogen distributions in Ta|CD<Subscript>2</Subscript>|Ta,Ta|Ta|CD<Subscript>2</Subscript>|Ta|Ta,and Nb|CD<Subscript>2</Subscript>|Nb assemblies after exposure to high-temperature argon plasma

Assemblies made of Ta|CD₂|Ta, Ta|Ta|CD₂|Ta|Ta and Nb|CD₂|Nb foils are irradiated with pulses of high-temperature argon plasma created by means of a “Plasma Focus” setup. The irradiated foil samples are investigated by recording the recoil nuclei of hydrogen and deuterium. It is found that hydrogen and deuterium are redistributed in foil stacks. The ultradeep penetration of light gas impurities (hydrogen and deuterium) can be explained by the influence of shock waves on the foils and accelerated diffusion under an external force.     

薄膜靶整形强激光脉冲的理论分析和数值模拟

超强超短脉冲激光广泛应用于粒子加速以及新型X射线辐射源产生。较长的激光脉冲上升前沿直接影响激光应用效果。等离子体薄膜靶作为新型光学介质开关,可以有效降低超强激光脉冲前沿上升时间,优化激光等离子体相互作用参数。采用一维理论分析和粒子模拟方法研究了等离子体薄膜靶实现超强激光脉冲整形的机制。研究结果表明,薄膜靶通过对激光脉冲的非线性调制,可有效实现脉宽缩短和脉冲陡化;对比单层靶调制结果,选择参数优化的双层靶,可进一步优化脉冲整形效果,获得更短脉宽和更高振幅的激光脉冲;对于峰值振幅高于薄膜靶击穿阈值的超强激光,脉冲上升前沿可得到明显陡化,薄膜靶的击穿是产生这种脉冲整形效果的直接原因。     

Features of the generation of a collisionless electrostatic shock wave in a laser-ablation plasma

The appearance of a density bump is experimentally revealed in an electrostatic shock wave during the ablation of an aluminum foil by a femtosecond laser pulse. The numerical simulation shows that this phenomenon can be explained by the generation of a packet of ion acoustic waves under the action of high-energy electron flows in a collisionless plasma. It is found that, for the formation and maintenance of the dense plasma layer in the shock wave, the contributions of accelerated ions overtaking it and wave-captured ions of the background plasma formed by a nanosecond laser prepulse in the process of ablation are significant.     

Application of high velocity streams of dense plasma for the creating of high adhesive compounds of chemically noninteracting metals

The work presents the experimental results of investigation of the possibility of the creating of high adhesive compound of chemically noninteracting metals by means of pulse streams of high temperature dense plasma. The 4 kJ plasma focus installation was used as a source of pulse streams of plasma. In the experiment assemblies of Cu–W and Pb–Fe samples were used. The deep penetration of atoms Cu and Pb accordingly in W and Fe was found. The mechanisms of the penetration of chemically neutral atoms into a material of the target can be connected with the following processes: the energy transfer from plasma pulse to implanting atoms, the origin and distribution of shock waves in the material of a target, and also the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of the border of two combining materials.     

Investigation of Shock Wave Loading and Crater Creation by Means of Single and Double Targets in the PALS-Laser Experiment

The efficiency of crater creation for different types of Al targets, namely, single massive targets and double targets consisting of a foil or a disk placed before the massive target at a chosen distance (300 and 500 µm), is studied. Targets were irradiated by the PALS facility laser beam with E _L = 100 – 400 J at the first harmonic λ = 1315 nm, a focal spot radius of 125 µm, and pulse duration of 400 ps. Velocities of the accelerated foil’s fragments or disks and electron density distributions of the plasma streams are determined by means of three-frame interferometry. Shapes and volumes of craters are obtained using the crater replica technology and microscopy measurements. It is shown that direct laser action is the most efficient way of energy transfer to the massive target and the most efficient method of crater creation. Somewhat lower efficiencies of shock wave loading and crater creation in comparison with direct laser action are found in the case of double targets where the energy is transferred to the massive target by colliding laser-driven foils or disks. The efficiencies of such a colliding energy transfer are close to 60% for foils and 40% for disks. The experimental results are in a good agreement with two-dimensional hydrodynamic models of shock wave generation under direct laser action and laser-driven macroparticle impact.     

VUV-heating of plasma layers and their use as ultrafast switches

We report on new possibilities to generate solid-density plasma at extreme energy density by intense VUV beams. Here we consider 100 fs pulses of 30 eV photons focused to 10¹⁶ and 10¹⁸ W/cm². The temperature evolution in 50 nm thick aluminum foils is discussed on the basis of simulations, performed with the one-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics code MULTI-fs. For 30 eV photons, the foil is shown to switch from transmission to reflection mode on a femto-second time-scale; this is due to the rapid change of the plasma frequency during laser heating which may turn an initially transparent Al-foil into an opaque one. The switching-time depends on the intensity of the laser pulse. Also layered heating structures inside the foil are discussed which occur due to reflection at the rear surface.     

Enhanced ion acceleration with extremely thin foils

Enhanced backward-acceleration of ions is experimentally observed when ultra-short, high-intensity and ultra-high-contrast laser pulses interact with thin foils having thicknesses in the order of the penetration depth of the laser light. Below the experimentally observed optimum foil thickness for the maximum ion energy versus thickness, there arises a second peak. 1D simulations on foils with an initial plasma density gradient show a similar trend as the experiment. It appears that in this regime of extremely thin foils it is important to take into account the limited expansion of the plasma that is formed by ultra-high-contrast pulses.     

Plasma-stimulated penetrability of hydrogen as a tool for studying phase transitions at grain boundaries

It is well known that the diffusion of hydrogen atoms through the intrinsic defects of a crystal lattice has characteristics different from those of bulk diffusion and, at certain parameters for some polycrystalline metals, ensures the determining contribution to the transfer of hydrogen atoms through the material. Grain boundaries (and dislocations) are the most important and shortest paths, the diffusion through which is much faster than bulk diffusion through a crystal lattice. It is particularly important to take into account this diffusion in materials with grains having sizes of about several nanometers. The possibility of using the method of the plasma-stimulated penetrability of hydrogen to analyze phase transitions at the grain boundaries is demonstrated on the example of polycrystalline niobium foils. In contrast to the existing methods, this method proposed for studying grain-boundary diffusion and phase transitions is simple and ensures control over the surface. The temperature characteristics of the diffusion of hydrogen atoms through niobium grain boundaries have been measured.     

Experimental EOS determination of aluminum at Mbar pressure

Equations of state (EOS) of matter at Mbar pressure are fundamental to numerous applications such as in astrophysics[1], plasma physics[2], inertial confinement fusion[3—6], and other related fields. Laser directly and indirectly induced shock wave compression of materials is an effective way to access these material states. Many recent experiments have been devoted to the study of laser driven shock waves and their use in the EOS measurement of strongly compressed materials[7]. It is well…     

Generation of dual pulses of the runaway electron beam current during the subnanosecond breakdown of atomic and molecular gases

With a diaphragm placed behind the anode foil, dual runaway electron beams have been provided in helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, and air under a pressure of several torrs to several dozen torrs and a high-voltage pulse amplitude of about 250 kV. These beams consist of two pulses with commensurable amplitudes with a time interval between them of several dozen picoseconds to several hundred picoseconds. It has been shown that the breakdown of the interelectrode gap at pressures from several torrs to several dozen torrs may occur in different regimes and dual pulses of the electron beam current are registered when the initial current through the gap is below 1 kA. It has been found that a supershort avalanche electron beam that consists of one pulse is generated when the delay of breakdown equals several hundred picoseconds. It has been shown that, when the gas pressure reaches several hundred Torr, including atmospheric pressure, the runaway electrons are detected behind the foil after the termination of the supershort avalanche electron beam pulse.     

爆电换能脉冲大电流输出研究

 基于爆电换能原理,使用掺铌的PZT 95/5陶瓷组装换能器件,在垂直工作模式下,对爆电电源LRC电路响应进行了理论分析,并开展了脉冲大电流输出实验研究。实验采用多组PZT 95/5铁电陶瓷并联,利用平面波发生器作为冲击加载手段,获得了峰值5 kA以上的脉冲大电流,初始电流上升速率可达10~20 GA/s。实验结果与理论设计符合较好。     

Absorption of ultrashort electromagnetic pulses in plasma with inhomogeneous distribution of density and temperature

The analysis of influence of the inhomogeneous distribution of temperature and density of atoms on the probability of absorption of ultrashort electromagnetic pulses in plasma is carried out. A specific example of divertor plasma of tokamaks and absorption in the Lyman series (at the Ly-α line) is considered. It is shown that the absorption probability may exceed relative populations of excited levels in divertor plasma by several orders of magnitude. The influence of the pulse duration on the probability of excitation of an atomic level is considered. The results suggest a possibility of a sharp increase in a fluorescence signal under the action of an ultrashort pulse.     

强激光和超薄等离子体薄膜相互作用产生高次谐波

通过一维粒子（particle in cell,简称PIC）模拟，研制了超薄等离子体薄膜在两列旋转方向相反的圆偏振激光脉冲作用下的高次谐波辐射。在10^21W/cm^2强度的激光作用下，可以获得200次以上的高次谐波。当激光脉冲宽度较短时，由于等离子体薄膜被压缩所导致的多普勒频移对高次谐波产生了显著的频率调制。而这种多普勒频移可以通过对抽运光脉冲引入频率啁啾来补偿。     

激光驱动冲击波的增长与衰减的一维特征线解法

 本文提出一种计算激光产生冲击波的增长与衰减规律的简单方法。用该方法计算了梯形激光脉冲和高斯型脉冲在铝靶中产生冲击波的增长与衰减的情况，并与其他作者所给的结果进行了比较。     

Effect of laser intensity on fast-electron-beam divergence in solid-density plasmas

Metal foil targets were irradiated with 1 mum wavelength (lambda) laser pulses of 5 ps duration and focused intensities (I) of up to 4x10;{19} W cm;{-2}, giving values of both Ilambda;{2} and pulse duration comparable to those required for fast ignition inertial fusion. The divergence of the electrons accelerated into the target was determined from spatially resolved measurements of x-ray K_{alpha} emission and from transverse probing of the plasma formed on the back of the foils. Comparison of the divergence with other published data shows that it increases with Ilambda;{2} and is independent of pulse duration. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations reproduce these results, indicating that it is a fundamental property of the laser-plasma interaction.     

Ultra-short pulse laser interaction with transparent dielectrics

The interaction of intense, ultra-short laser pulses (USLP) with a surface of transparent dielectrics is considered. The combination of multi-photon absorption and impact ionization generates a plasma layer at the dielectric boundary. Interaction with the plasma self-consistently determines the amount of reflected, transmitted and absorbed light, and the spatial distribution of electron density. In the present paper, we model the interaction of USLP with transparent dielectrics. We calculate the evolution of electron density profiles and the variation of reflection, transmission and absorption of laser radiation during the pulse. We show that the laser-created surface plasma acts as a filter transmitting only the leading edge of the laser pulse. The transmitted energy is approximately fixed, nearly independent of input pulse energy. The transmitted energy increases with pulse duration. This increased energy is manifested in the formation of cylindrical shock waves directly applicable to recent experiments investigating absorption and shock generation in water. PACS 79.20.Ds; 81.15.Fg; 05.45.Pg