Time-dependent measurement of high-power laser light reflection by low-<i>Z</i> foam plasma

Abstract Porous materials have many applications for laser–matter interaction experiments related to inertial confinement fusion. Obtaining new knowledge about the properties of the laser-produced plasma of porous media is a challenging task. In this work, we report, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, the time-dependent measurement of the reflected light of a terawatt laser pulse from the laser-produced plasma of low-Z foam material of overcritical density. The experiments have been performed with the ABC laser, with targets constituted by foam of overcritical density and by solid media of the same chemical composition. We implemented in the MULTI-FM code a model for the light reflection to reproduce and interpret the experimental results. Using the simulations together with the experimental results, we indicate a criterion for estimating the homogenization time of the laser-produced plasma, whose measurement is challenging with direct diagnostic techniques and still not achieved

Laser-driven ablation through fast electrons in PALS experiment

Energy transfer to shock wave in Al and Cu targets irradiated by a laser pulse with intensity of I~1-50 PW/cm2 and duration of 250 ps was investigated at Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS). The iodine laser provided energy in the range of 100-600 J at the first and third harmonic frequencies. The focal spot radius of laser beam on the target was varied from 160 to 40 µm. The dominant contribution of fast electron energy transfer into the ablation process was found when using the first harmonic radiation, the focal spot radius of 40-100 µm, and the energy of 300-600 J. The fast electron heating results in the growth of ablation pressure from 60 Mbar at the intensity of 10 PW/cm2 to 180 Mbar at the intensity of 50 PW/cm2 and in the growth of the efficiency of the energy conversion into the shock wave from 2 to 7 % under the conditions of 2D ablation