Oxford Centre for High Energy Density Science (OxCHEDS)

Abstract:

This paper describes a new positron source using ultraintense short pulse lasers. Although it has been theoretically studied since the 1970s, the use of lasers as a valuable new positron source was not demonstrated experimentally until recent years, when the petawatt-class short pulse lasers were developed. In 2008 and 2009, in a series of experiments performed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a large number of positrons were observed after shooting a millimeter thick solid gold target. Up to 2× 1010 positrons/s ejected at the back of approximately millimeter thick gold targets were detected. The targets were illuminated with short (∼1 ps) ultraintense (∼1× 1020 W/ cm2) laser pulses. These positrons are produced predominantly by the Bethe-Heitler process and have an effective temperature of 2-4 MeV, with the distribution peaking at 4-7 MeV. The angular distribution of the positrons is anisotropic. For a wide range of applications, this new laser-based positron source with its unique characteristics may complement the existing sources based on radioactive isotopes and accelerators. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.

Abstract:

The analysis of the radiative properties of plasmas created by XUV and X-ray free electron laser radiations provides a tremendous challenge to researchers to investigate matter under extreme conditions. In the present work we report about the theoretical analysis of the radiation emission of Al heated by the interaction of 10 fs focused (1 μm) free electron laser radiation at 13.5 nm at intensities of about 1016 W/cm2. The data show strong resonance line emission 3l -2l′ from Ne-like Al but also numerous intense broad emission structures in the spectral range from 10-30 nm. Atomic structure analysis indicate that these emission structures might originate from multiple excited states with L-holes. By means of a genetic algorithm we analyze possible excitation channels driven directly by the FLASH free electron laser as well as by heated plasma electrons.

Abstract:

Ultrashort electron bunches from laser-driven plasma accelerators hold promise as drivers for short-wavelength free electron lasers. While FEL simulation techniques have been successful in simulating lasing at present-day facilities, the novel sources investigated here are likely to violate a number of widely-held assumptions. For instance the HHG seed radiation, as well as the radiation generated by the bunch, may not conform to the slowly-varying envelope approximation (SVEA) on which the majority of codes rely. Additionally, the longitudinal macroparticle binning precludes the modeling of the full physics of the system. In order to more completely simulate the sub-wavelength effects which arise, we have developed an unaveraged 1-D time-dependent code without the SVEA. We use this to perform numerical analyses and highlight some of the additional features that these new systems present. We conclude that while coherent spontaneous emission from ultra-short bunches may significantly affect start-up, the sub-wavelength structure of HHG seeds has little effect.

Abstract:

Advanced ignition concepts, such as fast ignition and shock ignition, are being investigated at the Omega Laser Facility. Integrated fast-ignition experiments with room-temperature re-entrant cone targets have begun, using 18 kJ of 351 nm drive energy to implode empty 40 νm thick CD shells, followed by 1.0 kJ of 1053 nm wavelength, short-pulse energy. Short pulses of 10 ps width have irradiated the inside of a hollow gold re-entrant cone at the time of peak compression. A threefold increase in the time-integrated, 2 to 7 keV x-ray emission was observed with x-ray pinhole cameras, indicating that energy is coupled from the short-pulse laser into the core by fast electrons. In shock-ignition experiments, spherical plastic-shell targets were compressed to high areal densities on a low adiabat, and a strong shock wave was sent into the converging, compressed capsule. In one experiment, 60 beams were used with an intensity spike at the end of the laser pulse, and the implosion performance was studied through neutron-yield and areal-density measurements. In a second experiment, the 60 OMEGA beams were split into a 40+20 configuration, with 40 low-intensity beams used for fuel assembly and 20 delayed beams with a short, high-intensity pulse shape (up to 1 × 1016 W cm-2) for shock generation. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.