Oxford Centre for High Energy Density Science (OxCHEDS)

Abstract:

The heating of solid targets irradiated by 5×1020Wcm-2, 0.8 ps, 1.05μm wavelength laser light is studied by x-ray spectroscopy of the K-shell emission from thin layers of Ni, Mo, and V. A surface layer is heated to ∼5keV with an axial temperature gradient of 0.6μm scale length. Images of Ni Lyα show the hot region has ≤25μm diameter. These data are consistent with collisional particle-in-cell simulations using preformed plasma density profiles from hydrodynamic modeling which show that the >100Gbar light pressure compresses the preformed plasma and drives a shock into the solid, heating a thin layer. © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

Several zero-dimensional non-LTE radiation-transfer codes are in common use within the laser-plasma community (for example, RATION, FLY, FLYCHK and GALAXY). These codes are capable of generating calculated emission spectra for a plasma of given density and temperature in the presence of a radiation field. Although dimensionless in nature, these codes can take into account the coupling of radiation and populations by use of the escape factor method, and in this sense the codes incorporate the finite size of the plasma of interest in two ways - firstly in the calculation of the effect of the radiation on the populations and secondly when using these populations to generate a spectrum. Different lengths can be used within these two distinct operations, though it has not been made clear what these lengths should be. We submit that the appropriate length to use for the calculation of populations in such zero-dimensional codes is the mean chord of the system, whilst when calculating the spectrum the appropriate length is the size of the plasma along the line of sight. Indeed, for specific plasma shapes using the appropriate escape factors it can be shown that this interpretation agrees with analytic results. However, this is only the case if the correct escape factor is employed: use of the Holstein escape factor (which is in widely distributed versions of the codes mentioned above) is found to be significantly in error under most conditions. We also note that for the case where a plasma is close to coronal equilibrium, some limited information concerning the shape of the plasma can be extracted merely from the ratio of optically thick to optically thin lines, without the need for any explicit spatial resolution. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract:

Laser-driven MeV proton beams are highly suitable for quantitative diagnosis of density profiles in dense matter by employing them as a particle probe in a point-projection imaging scheme. Via differential scattering and stopping, the technique allows to detect density modulations in dense compressed matter with intrinsic high spatial and temporal resolutions. The technique offers a viable alternative/complementary route to more established radiographic methods. A Monte-Carlo simulation package, MPRM, has been developed in order to quantify the density profile of the probed object from the experimentally obtained proton radiographs. A discussion of recent progress in this area is presented on the basis of analysis of experimental data, which has been supported by MPRM simulation. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract:

The heating of solid targets irradiated by 5 x 10(20) W cm(-2), 0.8 ps, 1.05 microm wavelength laser light is studied by x-ray spectroscopy of the K-shell emission from thin layers of Ni, Mo, and V. A surface layer is heated to approximately 5 keV with an axial temperature gradient of 0.6 microm scale length. Images of Ni Ly(alpha) show the hot region has 100 G bar light pressure compresses the preformed plasma and drives a shock into the solid, heating a thin layer.