R. A. Smith

Characterization of a cryogenically cooled high-pressure gas jet for laser/cluster interaction experiments

We have developed and carried out detailed characterization of a cryogenically cooled (34–300 K), high-pressure (55 kTorr) solenoid driven pulsed valve that has been used to produce dense jets of atomic clusters for high intensity laser interaction studies. Measurements including Rayleigh scattering and short pulse interferometry show that clusters of controlled size, from a few to >104 atoms/cluster can be produced from a broad range of light and heavy gases, at average atomic densities up to 4×1019 atoms/cc. Continuous temperature and pressure control of the valve allows us to vary mean cluster size while keeping the average atomic density constant, and we find that many aspects of the valves behavior are consistent with ideal gas laws. However, we also show that effects including the build up of flow on milliseconds time scales, the cooling of gas flowing into the valve, and condensation of gas inside the valve body at temperatures well above the liquefaction point need to be carefully characterized in...

Detailed study of nuclear fusion from femtosecond laser-driven explosions of deuterium clusters

Recent experiments on the interaction of intense, ultrafast pulses with large van der Waals bonded clusters have shown that these clusters can explode with sufficient kinetic energy to drive nuclear fusion. Irradiating deuterium clusters with a 35 fs laser pulse, it is found that the fusion neutron yield is strongly dependent on such factors as cluster size, laser focal geometry, and deuterium gas jet parameters. Neutron yield is shown to be limited by laser propagation effects as the pulse traverses the gas plume. From the experiments it is possible to get a detailed understanding of how the laser deposits its energy and heats the deuterium cluster plasma. The experiments are compared with simulations.

High contrast multi-terawatt pulse generation using chirped pulse amplification on the VULCAN laser facility

High power (8 TW), ultra-short (2.4 ps), pulses have been generated using chirped pulse amplification techniques on the VULCAN Nd: glass laser. A novel oscillator was developed as a driver producing ≈ ps pulses at 105 nm. The oscillator output was stretched prior to amplification and compressed at an aperture of 150 mm. The contrast ratio obtained was ≈ 106, which is suitable for laser plasma interaction studies.

High dynamic range third-order correlation measurement of picosecond laser pulse shapes

A third-order correlation system has been developed, which enables the contrast ratio of high-intensity ultra-short laser pulses to be measured on a single shot, with a dynamic range of better than 108.

X-ray yields from Xe clusters heated by short pulse high intensity lasers

We have examined the absolute yield of keV x-rays emitted from gaseous plasmas created by the intense irradiation of large Xe clusters. We find that >10 μJ of x rays with photon energies above 1 keV are produced from clustering Xe gas targets when heated by 250 mJ, 2 ps laser pulses at an intensity of ∼1017 W/cm2. The yields show strong laser intensity dependence and variation with Xe cluster size.

The Production of Strong Blast Waves through Intense Laser Irradiation of Atomic Clusters

An understanding of radiation effects on the evolution of shock waves is of great importance to many problems in astrophysics. Shock waves driven by a laser-heated plasma are attractive for laboratory investigation of these phenomena. Recent studies of intense short-pulse laser interactions with gases of atomic clusters indicate a potential avenue to access this regime of radiative hydrodynamics. We have measured the energy absorption efficiency of high-intensity, picosecond laser pulses in low-density gases composed of large atomic clusters and find that the energy absorption can be very high (> 95%), producing a high-temperature plasma filament which consequently produces a strong blast wave. Interferometric characterization of these shock waves indicates that in high-Z gases such as Xe, radiation transport plays an important role in the evolution of the shock wave.

Intense laser-plasma interactions: New frontiers in high energy density physics

A review is presented here of a number of invited papers presented at the 2008 American Physical Society April meeting [held jointly with High Energy Density Physics/High Energy Density Laboratory Astrophysics (HEDP/HEDLA) Conference] devoted to intense laser-matter interactions. They include new insights gained from wave-kinetic theory into laser-wakefield accelerators and drift wave turbulence interacting with zonal flows in magnetized plasmas; interactions with cluster media for the generation of radiative blast waves; fast electron energy transport in cone-wire targets; numerical investigations into Weibel instability in electron-positron-ion plasmas and the generation of gigabar pressures with thin foil interactions.

keV x-ray spectroscopy of plasmas produced by the intense picosecond irradiation of a gas of xenon clusters

We have studied the characteristics of x-ray emission in the 12- range from plasmas produced by the irradiation of a target of Xe clusters with picosecond laser pulses at intensities near . These plasmas exhibit strong emission from Ni-like through to Mn-like Xe. We find that the strength and character of the x-ray spectra are very similar when either 1053 or 526 nm laser pulses are used to heat the clusters.

Diagnosing collisions of magnetized, high energy density plasma flows using a combination of collective Thomson scattering, Faraday rotation, and interferometry (invited).

A suite of laser based diagnostics is used to study interactions of magnetised, supersonic, radiatively cooled plasma flows produced using the Magpie pulse power generator (1.4 MA, 240 ns rise time). Collective optical Thomson scattering measures the time-resolved local flow velocity and temperature across 7-14 spatial positions. The scattering spectrum is recorded from multiple directions, allowing more accurate reconstruction of the flow velocity vectors. The areal electron density is measured using 2D interferometry; optimisation and analysis are discussed. The Faraday rotation diagnostic, operating at 1053 nm, measures the magnetic field distribution in the plasma. Measurements obtained simultaneously by these diagnostics are used to constrain analysis, increasing the accuracy of interpretation.

Ultrafast gated imaging of laser produced plasmas using the optical Kerr effect

Optical imaging is a versatile diagnostic for investigations of plasmas generated under intense laser irradiation. Electro-optic gating techniques operating on the >100 ps timescale are commonly used to reduce the amount of light detected from self-emission of hot plasma or improve the temporal resolution of the detector. The use of an optical Kerr gate enables a superior dynamic range and temporal resolution compared to electronically gated devices. The application of this method for enhanced imaging of laser produced plasmas with gate time ∼100 fs is demonstrated, and the possibility to produce a sub-10 fs, high dynamic range “all optical” streak camera is discussed.