Professor Justin Wark

Abstract:

A high-power KrF system has been used to heat solid targets with laser energies of up to 1 J in 3 ps. Single-shot irradiances of up to 1017 W-cm-2 were achieved at the target surface. A number of diagnostics were used to investigate the plasmas produced. When an ASE background containing about 20% of the short-pulse energy in a 10-ns interval was present, the X-ray spectra indicated an electron temperature of about 400 eV and a density of a few times 1022 cm-2. When the prepulse level was kept below 10-3 of the main pulse, measurements indicated plasmas with temperatures of 400 eV at close to solid density. The production of hot electrons was investigated using titanium targets overcoated with CH, and observing the Ti Kα emission. These measurements also confirmed the low prepulse level, since Kα emission was weak when only 0.5 μm of plastic overcoat was used. The experimental results were simulated with a 1-D hydrocode.