Shaoping Zhu

Quasistatic magnetic and electric fields generated in intense laser plasma interaction

A self-consistent kinetic model based on relativistic Vlasov–Maxwell equations is presented for the generation of quasistatic spontaneous fields, i.e., both the quasistatic magnetic (QSM) field and the quasistatic electric (QSE) field, in intense laser plasma interaction. For the circularly polarized laser, QSM field includes two parts, the axial part Bz as well as the azimuthal Bθ; the QSE field Es, corresponding to the space-charge potential, forms a plasma density channel. For the linearly polarized laser, Bz is absent. Equations for Bz, Bθ, and Es are uniformly derived from one self-consistent model under the static-state approximation, which satisfies the conservation law of charge. The profile of the plasma density channel and the dependence of the peak QSM fields on the laser intensity are discussed. The experiment and simulation results are explained by the model. The predicted QSM and QSE fields are also observed in the three-dimensional particle simulation.

Fluid theory for quasistatic magnetic field generation in intense laser plasma interaction

Based on the ten-moment Grad system of hydrodynamic equations, a self-consistent fluid model is presented for the generation of quasistatic magnetic fields in relativistic intense laser plasma interaction. In this model, the nondiagonal stress tensor is taken into account and the generalized vorticity is proved to be not conserved, which are different from previous ideal fluid models. In the quasistatic approximation, where the low-frequency phase speed vp is much smaller than the electron thermal speed vte, the axial magnetic field Bz and the azimuthal one Bθ are derived. It is found that the condition vp⪢vte used as the cold fluid approximation by previous papers is improper, where the derived Bz is incomplete and one magnetization current for Bz associated with the electron thermal motion does not appear. The profiles of both Bz and Bθ are analyzed. Their dependence on the laser intensity is discussed.Based on the ten-moment Grad system of hydrodynamic equations, a self-consistent fluid model is presented for the generation of quasistatic magnetic fields in relativistic intense laser plasma interaction. In this model, the nondiagonal stress tensor is taken into account and the generalized vorticity is proved to be not conserved, which are different from previous ideal fluid models. In the quasistatic approximation, where the low-frequency phase speed vp is much smaller than the electron thermal speed vte, the axial magnetic field Bz and the azimuthal one Bθ are derived. It is found that the condition vp⪢vte used as the cold fluid approximation by previous papers is improper, where the derived Bz is incomplete and one magnetization current for Bz associated with the electron thermal motion does not appear. The profiles of both Bz and Bθ are analyzed. Their dependence on the laser intensity is discussed.

Electron acceleration in combined intense laser fields and self-consistent quasistatic fields in plasma

The acceleration of plasma electron in intense laser-plasma interaction is investigated analytically and numerically, where the conjunct effect of laser fields and self-consistent spontaneous fields (including quasistatic electric field Esl, azimuthal quasistatic magnetic field Bsθ and the axial one Bsz) is completely considered for the first time. An analytical relativistic electron fluid model using test-particle method has been developed to give an explicit analysis about the effects of each quasistatic fields. The ponderomotive accelerating and scattering effects on electrons are partly offset by Esl, furthermore, Bsθ pinches and Bsz collimates electrons along the laser axis. The dependences of energy gain and scattering angle of electron on its initial radial position, plasma density, and laser intensity are, respectively, studied. The qualities of the relativistic electron beam (REB), such as energy spread, beam divergence, and emitting (scattering) angle, generated by both circularly polarized (CP)...

Laser hohlraum coupling efficiency on the Shenguang II facility

Recently, hohlraum experiments were performed at the Shenguang-II (SG-II) laser facility [Lin et al., Chin. J. Lasers B10, Suppl. IV6 (2001)]. The measured maximum radiation temperature was 170 eV for the standard hohlraum and 150 eV for a 1.5-scaled one. This paper discusses the radiation temperature and laser hohlraum coupling efficiency in terms of a theoretical model [Phys. Plasmas 8, 1659 (2001)] and numerical simulation. A 2D laser–hohlraum coupling code, LARED-H [Chin. J. Comput. Phys. 19, 57 (2002)], gives a satisfactory coincidence with the measured time-resolved radiation temperature. Upon fitting the time-resolved curve, the theoretical model obtains the hohlraum coupling efficiency and, furthermore, the parameter n+s for the hohlraum wall material (Au) can be determined simultaneously, where n, s are the power exponents of temperature for the radiation Rosseland mean-free path and specific internal energy, respectively.

A new metric of the low-mode asymmetry for ignition target designs

In the deuterium-tritium inertial confinement fusion implosion experiments on the National Ignition Facility, the measured neutron yield and hot spot pressure are significantly lower than simulations. Understanding the underlying physics of the deficit is essential to achieving ignition. This paper investigates the low-mode areal density asymmetry in the main fuel of ignition capsule. It is shown that the areal density asymmetry breaks up the compressed shell and significantly reduces the conversion of implosion kinetic energy to hot spot internal energy, leading to the calculated hot spot pressure and neutron yield quite close to the experimental data. This indicates that the low-mode shell areal density asymmetry can explain part of the large discrepancy between simulations and experiments. Since only using the hot spot shape term could not adequately characterize the effects of the shell areal density asymmetry on implosion performance, a new metric of the low-mode asymmetry is developed to accurately measure the probability of ignition.

Slow-time-scale magnetic fields driven by fast-time-scale waves in an underdense relativistic Vlasov plasma

Slow-time-scale magnetic fields driven by fast-time-scale electromagnetic waves or plasma waves are examined from the perspective of the Vlasov–Maxwell equations for a relativistic Vlasov plasma. An equation for slow-time-scale magnetic field is obtained. The field proposed in the present paper is a result of wave–wave beating which drives a solenoidal current. The magnitude of the slow-time-scale magnetic field proposed here can be as high as 20 MG at the critical surface for a laser intensity I=1018 W/cm2 at wavelength λ0=1.05 μm. The predicted magnetic field is observed in two-dimensional particle simulations presented here.

Asymmetric-shell ignition capsule design to tune the low-mode asymmetry during the peak drive

The low-mode radiation flux asymmetry in the hohlraum is a main source of performance degradation in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) implosion experiments. To counteract the deleterious effects of the large positive P2 flux asymmetry during the peak drive, this paper develops a new tuning method called asymmetric-shell ignition capsule design which adopts the intentionally asymmetric CH ablator layer or deuterium-tritium (DT) ice layer. A series of two-dimensional implosion simulations have been performed, and the results show that the intentionally asymmetric DT ice layer can significantly improve the fuel ρR symmetry, hot spot shape, hot spot internal energy, and the final neutron yield compared to the spherical capsule. This indicates that the DT asymmetric-shell capsule design is an effective tuning method, while the CH ablator asymmetric-shell capsule could not correct the fuel ρR asymmetry, and it is not as effective as the DT asymmetric-shell capsule design.

Indirect-drive ablative Rayleigh-Taylor growth experiments on the Shenguang-II laser facility

In this research, a series of single-mode, indirect-drive, ablative Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability experiments performed on the Shenguang-II laser facility [X. T. He and W. Y. Zhang, Eur. Phys. J. D 44, 227 (2007)] using planar target is reported. The simulation results from the one-dimensional hydrocode for the planar foil trajectory experiment indicate that the energy flux at the hohlraum wall is obviously less than that at the laser entrance hole. Furthermore, the non-Planckian spectra of x-ray source can strikingly affect the dynamics of the foil flight and the perturbation growth. Clear images recorded by an x-ray framing camera for the RT growth initiated by small- and large-amplitude perturbations are obtained. The observed onset of harmonic generation and transition from linear to nonlinear growth regime is well predicted by two-dimensional hydrocode simulations.

A theoretical model for a spontaneous magnetic field in intense laser plasma interaction

The experiment results on spontaneous magnetic fields given by Najmudin et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 215004 (2001)] can be explained by the kinetic model proposed by the present authors [Phys. Plasmas 8, 312 (2001)]. The dependence of the peak spontaneous magnetic field on the laser intensity is discussed. It is found the ratio of the number of thermal electrons to the total number of electrons is an important parameter.

Investigating the hohlraum radiation properties through the angular distribution of the radiation temperature

The symmetric radiation drive is essential to the capsule implosion in the indirect drive fusion but is hard to achieve due to the non-uniform radiation distribution inside the hohlraum. In this work, the non-uniform radiation properties of both vacuum and gas-filled hohlraums are studied by investigating the angular distribution of the radiation temperature experimentally and numerically. It is found that the non-uniform radiation distribution inside the hohlraum induces the variation of the radiation temperature between different view angles. The simulations show that both the angular distribution of the radiation temperature and the hohlraum radiation distribution can be affected by the electron heat flux. The measured angular distribution of the radiation temperature is more consistent with the simulations when the electron heat flux limiter fe=0.1. Comparisons between the experiments and simulations further indicate that the x-ray emission of the blow-off plasma is overestimated in the simulations wh...