Oxford Centre for High Energy Density Science (OxCHEDS)

Abstract:

We present the status of optical field ionization soft X-ray lasers. The amplifying medium is generated by focusing a high-energy circularly polarized 30-fs 10-Hz Ti: sapphire laser system in a gaseous medium. Using xenon or krypton, strong laser emission at 41.8 and 32.8 nm, respectively, has been observed. After presenting the basis of the physics, we present recent characterization of the sources as well as dramatic improvement of their performances using the waveguiding technique.

Abstract:

In many cases the length over which particles can be accelerated in a laser-driven plasma accelerator is limited by refraction or diffraction of the driving laser pulse. In order to overcome this limitation the driving pulse must be guided or channeled through the plasma, In this paper we briefly review of the techniques used to guide laser pulses with peak intensities up to 10(19) W cm(-2), and describe recent experimental results.

Abstract:

The application of the gas-filled capillary discharge waveguide to laser-plasma accelerators is reviewed. The results of experiments to guide high-intensity laser pulses in capillaries with circular or square cross-sections are described. The relation between capillary diameter, guided spot size, and plasma density are explored, and a possible new hybrid regime of guiding is identified.

Abstract:

We have measured the production of by 4.7 keV x-rays from low-density Ti-doped aerogel (rho approximate to 3 mg/cc) targets at the OMEGA laser facility (University of Rochester), with the goal of maximizing x-ray output. Forty OMEGA beams (lambda(L) = 0.351 mum) illuminated the two cylindrical faces of the target with a total power that ranged from 7 to 14 TW. The laser fully ionizes the target (n(e)/n(crit) less than or equal to 0.1), and a laser-bleaching wave excites, supersonically, the high-Z emitter ions in the sample. Heating in the target was imaged with gated x-ray framing cameras and an x-ray streak camera. Ti K-shell x-ray emission was spectrally resolved with a two-channel crystal spectrometer and also with a set of filtered aluminum x-ray diodes, both instruments provide absolute measurement of the multi-keV x-ray emission. We find between 40 - 260 J of output with 4.67 less than or equal to by less than or equal to 5.0 keV. Radiation-hydrodynamic calculations predict late time enhancement of the x-ray power due first to axial stagnation of the heating waves, then, ablatively-driven radial compression from the target walls.