A peculiarity of diffraction measurements using a Gaussian laser beam

Numerical modelling of the Gaussian beam diffraction by a wire near the Fraunhofer limit is presented. Two cases are considered: the case of the wire being on the axis of the beam and the case of the wire being off-axis. For the case where the wire is on the axis, the displacements of the diffracted minima are calculated. For the off-axis case, the changes in the positions of the maxima and minima and the power density are calculated. The conditions are determined at which the measurements made using a Gaussian beam can be calculated using the formula for plane waves. This work arises in connection with research being performed into the Doppler spectrum of big particles.     

Detection of modulated molecular beams with electron bombardment detectors

By means of refinements in the modulated molecular beam technique the signal-to-noise ratio can be greatly improved, and differential cross-sections, for collision of molecuies of the same species, can be measured. This was accomplished by combining beam modulation and phase sensitive detection with very sharp turning on the front end of the lock-in-amplifier and long integration times on the output. In addition, the signal-to-noise ratio of the Ar-Ar system as a function of integration time was investigated using two different types of electron bombardment detectors an Aberth ion-source and a quadrupole mass filter. With an integration time of 40 min the estimated upper limit to the signal-to-noise ratio is 1500 to 1 for the Aberth ion-source. Using quadrupole mass filter with an integration time of 60 min the estimated upper limit to the signal-to-noise ratio is 5 × 10⁴ to 1. For chemical kinetics studies this ratio may be two orders of magnitude higher. Measurements were carried out at the Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana, USA.     

Smith-Purcell Radiation in the Sub-mm Wavelength Region

Spontaneous Smith-Purcell radiation at wavelengths of 100 and 220m has been observed. The angles of observation were 17° and 28° and the electron beam energies 1.9 and 1.56MeV, respectively. The radiated power was about 320nW at 17° and 92nW at 28°. These values are in reasonable agreement with what is theoretically expected if the emission process is due to the acceleration of image charges induced on the grating surface by the electrons of the beam.     

Production of high quality shocks for equation of state experiments

In this paper we describe the quality requirements that a shock wave must fulfil to make equation of state (EOS) measurements possible: planarity, no-preheating and stationarity of the shock. Experimental measurements have been performed at the Max Planck Institut für Quantenoptik (Garching). We also present simple analytical models that allow to verify shock stationarity and absence of preheating. Received 17 June 2002 Published online 21 January 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: batani@mib.infn.it RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Pro-beam, Behrinsta?e 6, 85152 Planegg b. München, Germany. RID="c" ID="c"UMR 7605     

A novel electron scattering apparatus combining a laser photoelectron source and a triply differentially pumped supersonic beam target: characterization and results for the resonance

A novel electron scattering apparatus for high resolution studies of angle-differential elastic and inelastic electron scattering from atoms and molecules in the gas phase is described and its performance characterized. It combines a laser photoelectron source, a triply differentially pumped collimated supersonic beam target (half angle 0.015 rad, background to beam density ratio < 0.01), and several electron multipliers for simultaneous detection of elastically scattered electrons and metastable atoms (or molecules) due to inelastic scattering. In detailed test measurements of the yield for the production of metastable He^*(2³S₁) atoms around its threshold, the dependence of the overall energy width on various experimental parameters has been investigated. So far a resolution down to 7 meV (FWHM) has been obtained. Under such conditions we have investigated the profile of the He^- (1 s 2 s ^{2 2} S _1/2 ) resonance at the scattering angles 22 ^° , 45 ^° , and 90 ^° . From a consistent fit of the measured profiles by resonant scattering theory we determine a new value for the resonance energy ( E _r = 19.365(1) eV) and an accurate resonance width ( Γ = 11.2(5) meV). These results are consistent with the previously recommended values. Received 23 July 2002 Published online 29 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: hotop@physik.uni-kl.de RID="b" ID="b"Permanent address: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Drake University, Des Moines, IA 50311, USA.     

Changes Brought about by a Lens in an Obliquely Incident Laser Beam

In the paraxial optics approximation, we have studied the transformation of a simple Gaussian beam of light obliquely incident on an isotropic lens for the case where the axis of the beam and the principal optical axis of the lens are crossed straight lines. The data obtained are compared with the corresponding results for the case where the axes of the beam and lens are coplanar.     

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.     

Progress in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion research at the laboratory for laser energetics

Direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is expected to demonstrate high gain on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the next decade and is a leading candidate for inertial fusion energy production. The demonstration of high areal densities in hydrodynamically scaled cryogenic DT or D₂ implosions with neutron yields that are a significant fraction of the “clean” 1-D predictions will validate the ignition-equivalent direct-drive target performance on the OMEGA laser at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE). This paper highlights the recent experimental and theoretical progress leading toward achieving this validation in the next few years. The NIF will initially be configured for X-ray drive and with no beams placed at the target equator to provide a symmetric irradiation of a direct-drive capsule. LLE is developing the “polar-direct-drive” (PDD) approach that repoints beams toward the target equator. Initial 2-D simulations have shown ignition. A unique “Saturn-like” plastic ring around the equator refracts the laser light incident near the equator toward the target, improving the drive uniformity. LLE is currently constructing the multibeam, 2.6-kJ/beam, petawatt laser system OMEGA EP. Integrated fast-ignition experiments, combining the OMEGA EP and OMEGA Laser Systems, will begin in FY08.     

低能离子束横向发射度的测量及分析

The transverse emittance of an ion beam describes its transverse size as the particles are transported from a source to a target.It allows for predicting beam losses in limiting apertures and the beam focus size at the target.Various definitions and issues are discussed.The most common and emerging measuring techniques are presented,including their advantages.Several methods of emittance data analysis,their accuracy and trustworthiness,are discussed.