Various problems involved in the simulation of current X-ray laser experiments are discussed. The methods are based on laser-plasma simulation techniques with simultaneous calculation of the ionization dynamics, and are particularly appropriate for collisional and recombination pumped systems.

Experimental data are reported on second harmonic generation (SHG) during the interaction between a Nd laser beam (20 ns pulse-duration and peak intensity 1013 W/cm2) and a plasma of density 1019 cm−3 produced in helium. The behavior of self-focusing and the onset of steep plasma gradients under the same experimental conditions have been previously characterized by independent techniques as already reported. In the light of these former findings, the observed SH magnitude, emission pattern and time dependence are briefly discussed and compared with expectations.

We investigate intermediate unstable modes between two stream and filamentation instabilities. We detail the problem of the angle between the wave vector and its electric field and use an electromagnetic formalism allowing for any value for this angle. We display analytical results for 3 different models: cold beam-cold plasma, cold beam-hot plasma and cold relativistic beam-hot plasma. We demonstrate that plasma temperature prompts a critical angle for which waves are unstable at any k and show that for a relativistic beam, the most unstable waves are obtained for wave vectors which are neither normal nor perpendicular to the beam.

This article investigates the molecular mixing caused by Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) instability of a gravitationally unstable density interface tilted at a small angle to the horizontal. The mixing is measured by the increase in background potential energy, and the mixing efficiency, or fraction of energy irreversibly lost to fluid motion doing work against gravity, is calculated. Laboratory experiments are carried out using saline and fresh water, and modeled with compressible numerical simulations, with a suitable choice of parameters and initial conditions. The experiments show that the high cumulative efficiency of mixing in RT instability at a horizontal interface is only slightly reduced by an interface tilt of up to 10°, despite the strong overturning that occurs. Instantaneous mixing efficiencies as high as 0.5–0.6 are measured, when RT instability is active, with lower values of about 0.35 during the subsequent overturning. The numerical simulations capture the most unstable scales and the overturning motion well, but generate more mixing than the experiments, with the instantaneous mixing efficiency remaining at 0.5 for most of the run. The difference may be due to restratification at small scales in the high Prandtl number experiments.

Demonstration of matching a laser ion source to the GSI RFQ-Maxilac linear accelerator and the acceleration of a 1.8-mA current beam of Ta10+ ions up to 45 keV/u energy is presented. A 10J/μs CO2 laser has been used to produce a hot plasma plume, emitting highly charged tantulum ions. The correct geometry and potential distribution of the matching section has been designed in accordance with the results of computer simulations by using the AXCEL code. Measurements of the charge state distribution of the accelerated beam indicate that it contains about 70% Ta10+ and 30% Ta11+ ions.

Heavy ion clusters are considered for driving an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) pellet. They are shown to be effective at much lower energy than required for atomic ions. Multifragmentation is discussed with a maximum entropy hypothesis. Direct pressure imparted to a DT pellet is estimated. The stopping of strongly correlated ion cluster debris flowing in a degenerate electron jellium target is calculated for polarized and unpolarized (with respect to velocity) projectiles. A reduced stopping occur for elongated configurations at low velocities (υ ⋍ 1 a.u.) and very dense targets. Transverse geometries experience a very large and enhanced stopping. Systematic trends are stressed out. Largest stopping is achieved when debris correlation lengths are smaller than the target jellium screening length.

Experimental results are presented on shock-wave generation in solid samples, irradiated directly by optically smoothed laser beams. Random phase plates and phased zone plates have been successfully used. In particular, the last technique allowed the production of uniform shock fronts that have been used for equation of state experiments at pressures above 10 Mbar. Pressures higher than 35 Mbar were achieved in gold, by using laser pulses with energy E ≈ 100 J, and structured, two-step, two-material targets.

Various applications demand various kinds of ions. Charge state, energy and the amount of laser produced ions depend, primary, on the wavelength, the energy, the pulse duration, and the focusing ability of the laser used. Angle of the target irradiation, angle of the ion extraction (recording), and mainly the focus setting may significantly influence especially the portion of ions with the highest charge states. The participation of non-linear processes on the generation of ions with extremely high parameters is demonstrated. The observed effects support the idea of a longitudinal structure of the self-focused laser beam with a space period of ∼200 µm.

Propagation of ultrashort intense laser pulses in a plasma Bragg grating induced by two counterpropagating laser pulses has been investigated. Such a plasma grating exhibits an ultrawide photonic band gap, near which strong dispersion appears. It is found that the grating dispersion dominates the dispersion of background plasma by several orders of magnitude. Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations show light speed reduction, pulse stretching, and chirped pulse compression in the plasma grating. The nonlinear coupled-mode theory agrees well with the PIC results. Because the plasma grating has a much higher damage threshold than the ordinary optical elements made of metal or dielectric, it can be a novel tool for controlling femtosecond intense laser pulses.

Shock pressure generated in aluminum targets due to the interaction of 0.44 μm (3 ω of iodine laser) laser radiation has been studied. The laser intensity profile was smoothed using phase zone plates. Aluminum step targets were irradiated at an intensity I ≈ 1014 W/cm2. Shock velocity in the aluminum target was estimated by detecting the shock luminosity from the target rear using a streak camera to infer the shock pressure. Experimental results show a good agreement with the theoretical model based on the delocalized laser absorption approximation. In the present report, we explicitly discuss the importance of target thickness on the shock pressure scaling.

A differential equation governing the wakefield potential (φ) in a plasma filled rectangular waveguide is derived analytically. This equation is solved numerically for the wakefield (Ew) generated with the help of three kinds of microwave pulses, namely sine pulse (SP), rectangular Gaussian pulse (RGP), and rectangular triangular pulse (RTP). The effect of microwave frequency (f), pulse duration (τ), waveguide width (b), equilibrium plasma density (n0), and microwave intensity (I) on the amplitude of the wakefield is studied. This amplitude is increased for the longer pulse duration and higher microwave intensity, but is decreased with growing waveguide width for all types of pulses. With regard to the variation of wakefield amplitude with plasma density, the RTP and SP behave in a similar fashion and the RGP behaves oppositely. The amplitude for the case of RGP gets increased with the plasma density. The amplitude is enhanced at larger microwave frequency for the cases of RGP and SP, but is decreased for the case of RTP. The comparative study of three types of pulses shows that the wakefield with larger amplitude is achieved with the help of rectangular triangular pulse, which is found to be sensitive with waveguide width, pulse duration and microwave intensity.

We have developed an analytical model for the implosion of a heavy ion beam driven multilayered cylindrical target. The target consists of a thick metallic shell, typically made of lead which is filled with a low density material, for example frozen hydrogen, and it is axially irradiated with a heavy ion beam with an annular focal spot. The model describes the expansion of the absorption region, the implosion of the pusher, the trajectories of the incident and reflected shocks and the final quasi-isentropic compression. The model is expected to be very helpful to optimize detailed simulations of such problems which are of close relevance to the GSI plasma physics experimental program, planned for the future upgraded accelerator facilities.

Ablation depths of stainless steel targets irradiated by 80-fs laser pulses at a flux F ≤ 40 J/cm2 (intensity ≤ 5 × 1014 W/cm2) in the presence of air at atmospheric pressure are experimentally measured. These values are lower than the theoretical predictions for metal targets in vacuum. Results are analyzed on the basis of the role of the ambient gas and of crater formation on the behavior of the ablated material.

An ion source for generation of low-charged heavy ions has been developed using low-power KrF excimer and frequency-doubled Nd:YAG lasers. The ion source was examined with two experimental modes of low-voltage DC extraction at ∼20 kV and high-voltage pulse extraction at 150 kV. Normalized emittance of extracted beams composed of Cu+ and Cu2+ ions was measured to be about 0.05 and 0.8 πmm-mrad for the DC extraction and the pulse extraction, respectively. Electron temperature was observed by means of a single probe method to be 0.8 to 2.5 eV, depending on the intensity of the KrF laser.

The temperatures and the densities of plasmas produced by high-power lasers vary widely but in certain cases are similar to those found in astrophysical plasmas. In recent years our understanding of intense laser–matter interaction and the evolution of the resulting

plasma has increased to the point where experiments can be designed to produce plasmas that allow astrophysical models to be tested. In this paper I review experimental work on laser-produced plasmas that is relevant to astrophysics. In the fields of highlyionized ion line identification and radiative opacity, relevant measurements have already been performed. Other experiments that could be performed with current laser facilities, including studies of X-ray nebula plasmas and complex radiation line transport, are described. In addition, experiments to investigate plasmas under more extreme conditions, which may be achievable with more powerful lasers, are mentioned.

Scattering of energetic electron and proton beams by cold matter is significantly different from the scattering of these particles by plasma, which may be either highly ionized or dense strongly coupled plasma. This is due to the difference in the shielding of the target nuclei between the two cases. Quantitatively, we treat the problem by means of the Bethe Moliere multiple scattering theory and the version of this theory for plasma as derived by Lampe. We propose to use this effect as a plasma diagnostic tool, utilizing monoenergetic, well-collimated electron or proton beams produced either by femtosecond laser plasma interactions or by accelerators. The effect is first illustrated for simplicity, by calculating the widths of the angular distribution of scattered particles interacting with the extreme cases of very hot fully ionized carbon, and iron plasmas, and comparing these results to the corresponding cold material. The more relevant case of electron scattering from partially ionized iron and carbon plasmas covering the entire range from a cold to a completely ionized target is also dealt with here. This paper brings up and highlights the difference between scattering by plasma and by cold material in light of the recent proposals to employ particle beams for various fusion applications.

Cluster beams may be produced by screening out the core portion of a partially condensed supersonic jet and introducing it into a high vacuum chamber. Potential applications of such beams are reported here and include accelerator targets, plasma generation, nuclear fuel injection into fusion devices, and production of thin layers for microelectronics and optics.

We present a 2D analysis of direct-drive shock ignition for the laser Megajoule. First, a target design is chosen in the HiPER-like target family generated by scale up and down of the original HiPER target. A first analysis is done considering the 1D fuel assembly and 2D shock ignition by means of the ring at polar angle of 33°2. The intensity profile is top-hat and calculations are done for several different radii. It is shown that larger the radius, lower the minimum spike power is. In addition, the intensity in each quad can stay below 4 × 1014 W/cm2 and is considered non crucial for parametric instabilities such as two plasmons. A 2D analysis of the fuel assembly is done in a second step by considering the two rings located at 49° and 59°5 and their symmetric by the equatorial plane symmetry. It is shown that low mode asymmetries are important at the stagnation and can significantly affect the areal density obtained. Finally, full 2D calculations of shock ignition is done, using all the beams of the LMJ and show that the spike power needed for ignition and gain is increased by a factor greater than 3 regarding the power needed in perfectly isotropic fuel assembly. This increase is mainly due to high level low mode asymmetries generated during fuel assembly.

Electron acceleration by a chirped laser pulse in an azimuthal magnetic field in a plasma has been studied. The betatron resonance saturates and the electrons start losing energy beyond a specific point of time without a frequency chirp. The resonance can be maintained for a longer duration and the energy of the electrons can be enhanced if a suitable frequency chirp is introduced. The duration of interaction increases for a lower plasma density or a lower initial electron energy which causes increase in the electron energy gain. The value of magnetic field required for resonance increases with an increase in plasma density and with a decrease in initial electron energy.

The effects of microscopic energy deposition in hot, dense plasmas and radiation transport in plasmas, on the interaction of ion beams with plane metal targets are investigated in this paper. In order to do this we analyze the plasma dynamics of ablatively accelerated plane metal foils. The physical analysis of these results is achieved by the derivation of solutions of the non-linear radiation conduction equation with boundary temperatures which increase in time. We illustrate, by means of numerical simulations, how range shortening due to plasma effects such as increased energy loss to excited electrons and an increased effective charge due to a reduction in the recombination rate, may be compensated for by radiation transport. The effect of radiation transport and detailed microscopic energy deposition on ion beam implosions, including hydrodynamic instability, is discussed.