Study of the conditions for the effective energy transfer in a process of acceleration and collision of the thin metal disks with the massive target

Efficiency studies of laser driven thin metal disks acceleration using the first harmonic (λ1=1.315 μm) of the Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS) and subsequent craters creation produced by collisions of these disks with massive targets are presented. Several different disks made of aluminium and copper foils with diameters of 300 μm and 600 μm and thicknesses of 11 μm (Al) and 3.6 μ m (Cu) were employed. Disks were placed at the distance of either 100 μ m or 300 μm in front of aluminium massive targets. The following irradiation conditions were used: the laser beam energy of 120 J, the focal spot diameter of 200 μm, and the pulse duration of 0.4 ns (FWHM). A three-frame interferometric system was employed to determine electron density distributions in plasma corona. Shape and volume of craters were obtained by crater replica technology and microscopy measurements. The aim of these investigations was to analyse conditions leading to the most effective energy transfer in the process of collision of the accelerated disks with solid targets. The overall efficiency of these processes was characterized by the volume of craters produced in such targets

Experimental and theoretical investigations of crater formation in an aluminium target in a PALS experiment

Experimental and theoretical results of investigations of the iodine laser - Al solid target interactions on the PALS (Prague Asterix Laser System) facility are presented. The experimental investigations of laser interaction with massive Al targets devoted to shock wave propagation in solids and crater formation physics are presented. Experiments were performed with the use of high intensity laser pulses (1013 15 W/cm2) for two laser wavelengths (0.438 mi m and 1.315 mi m) and four laser beam radii (from 35 mi m up to 600 ěm). The crater dimensions were measured using optical microscopy and a wax-replica technique. Plasma expansion out of the target was measured via three-frame interferometry. Theoretical model of the postpulse crater formation by the shock wave propagating and decaying in solids after the end of the laser pulse is presented and applied for the explanation of the results obtained in experiments

Magnetized plasma implosion in a snail target driven by a moderateintensity laser pulse

Optical generation of compact magnetized plasma structures is studied in the moderate intensity domain. A sub-ns laser beam irradiated snail-shaped targets with the intensity of about 10(16) W/cm(2). With a neat optical diagnostics, a sub-megagauss magnetized plasmoid is traced inside the target. On the observed hydrodynamic time scale, the hot plasma formation achieves a theta-pinch-like density and magnetic field distribution, which implodes into the target interior. This simple and elegant plasma magnetization scheme in the moderate-intensity domain is of particular interest for fundamental astrophysical-related studies and for development of future technologies © The Author(s) 201