Optimization of a laser plasma-based x-ray source according to WDM absorption spectroscopy requirements

X-ray absorption spectroscopy is a well-accepted diagnostic for experimental studies of warm dense matter.It requires a short-lived X-ray source of sufficiently high emissivity and without characteristic lines in the spectral range of interest.In the present work,we discuss how to choose an optimum material and thickness to get a bright source in the wavelength range 2A–6A(∼2 keV to 6 keV)by considering relatively low-Z elements.We demonstrate that the highest emissivity of solid aluminum and silicon foil targets irradiated with a 1-ps high-contrast sub-kJ laser pulse is achieved when the target thickness is close to 10μm.An outer plastic layer can increase the emissivity even further.

Observation and modelling of stimulated Raman scattering driven by an optically smoothed laser beam in experimental conditions relevant for shock ignition

We report results and modelling of an experiment performed at the Target Area West Vulcan laser facility,aimed at investigating laser±plasma interaction in conditions that are of interest for the shock ignition scheme in inertial confinement fusion(ICF),that is,laser intensity higher than 10^(16) W/cm^(2) impinging on a hot(T>1 keV),inhomogeneous and long scalelength pre-formed plasma.Measurements show a significant stimulated Raman scattering(SRS)backscattering(;%-20%of laser energy)driven at low plasma densities and no signatures of two-plasmon decay(TPD)/SRS driven at the quarter critical density region.Results are satisfactorily reproduced by an analytical model accounting for the convective SRS growth in independent laser speckles,in conditions where the reflectivity is dominated by the contribution from the most intense speckles,where SRS becomes saturated.Analytical and kinetic simulations well reproduce the onset of SRS at low plasma densities in a regime strongly affected by non-linear Landau damping and by filamentation of the most intense laser speckles.The absence of TPD/SRS at higher densities is explained by pump depletion and plasma smoothing driven by filamentation.The prevalence of laser coupling in the low-density profile justifies the low temperature measured for hot electrons(7-12 keV),which is well reproduced by numerical simulations.

Proton deflectometry of a capacitor coil target along two axes

A developing application of laser-driven currents is the generation of magnetic fields of picosecond-nanosecond duration with magnitudes exceeding B=10 T.Single-loop and helical coil targets can direct laser-driven discharge currents along wires to generate spatially uniform,quasi-static magnetic fields on the millimetre scale.Here,we present proton deflectometry across two axes of a single-loop coil ranging from 1 to 2 mm in diameter.Comparison with proton tracking simulations shows that measured magnetic fields are the result of kiloampere currents in the coil and electric charges distributed around the coil target.Using this dual-axis platform for proton deflectometry,robust measurements can be made of the evolution of magnetic fields in a capacitor coil target.

Effects of target pre-heating and expansion on terahertz radiation production from intense laser-solid interactions

The first experimental measurements of intense(～7 × 1019 W cm-2) laser-driven terahertz(THz) radiation from a solid target which is preheated by an intense pulse of laser-accelerated protons is reported. The total energy of the THz radiation is found to decrease by approximately a factor of 2 compared to a cold target reference. This is attributed to an increase in the scale length of the preformed plasma, driven by proton heating, at the front surface of the target,where the THz radiation is generated. The results show the importance of controlling the preplasma scale length for THz production.