Tight focusing with very small f-numbers is necessary to achieve the highest at-focus irradiances. However, tight focusing imposes strong demands on precise target positioning in-focus to achieve the highest on-target irradiance. We describe several near-infrared, visible, ultraviolet and soft and hard X-ray diagnostics employed in a ∼1022 W/cm2 laser–plasma experiment. We used nearly 10 J total energy femtosecond laser pulses focused into an approximately 1.3-μm focal spot on 5–20 μm thick stainless-steel targets. We discuss the applicability of these diagnostics to determine the best in-focus target position with approximately 5 μm accuracy (i.e., around half of the short Rayleigh length) and show that several diagnostics (in particular, 3$\omega$ reflection and on-axis hard X-rays) can ensure this accuracy. We demonstrated target positioning within several micrometers from the focus, ensuring over 80% of the ideal peak laser intensity on-target. Our approach is relatively fast (it requires 10–20 laser shots) and does not rely on the coincidence of low-power and high-power focal planes.

Solid-state nuclear track detectors (CR-39 type) are frequently used for the detection of ions accelerated by laser-plasma interaction because they are sensitive to each single particle. To the present day, CR-39 detectors are the main diagnostics in experiments focused on laser-driven proton-boron (p11B) fusion reactions to detect alpha particles, which are the main products of such a nuclear reaction, and to reconstruct their energy distribution. However, the acceleration of multispecies ions in the laser-generated plasma makes this spectroscopic method complex and often does not allow to unambiguously discriminate the alpha particles generated from p11B fusion events from the laser-driven ions. In this experimental work, performed at the PALS laser facility (600 J, 300 ps, laser intensity 1016 W/cm2), CR-39 detectors were used as main detectors for the angular distribution of the produced alpha particles during a p11B fusion dedicated experimental campaign. Additionally, a CR-39 detector was set inside a Thomson Parabola (TP) spectrometer with the aim to calibrate the CR-39 response for low energetic laser-driven ions originating from the plasma in the given experimental conditions. The detected ion energies were ranging from hundreds of keV to a few MeV, and the ion track diameters were measured for etching times up to 9 hours. The goal of the test was the evaluation of the detectors’ ability to discriminate the alpha particles from the aforementioned ions. Within this study, the calibration curves for protons and silicon low energy ions are accomplished, the overlapping of the proton tracks and alpha particles is verified, and a methodology to avoid this problem is realized.

The laser system PALS, as a driver of a broad-beam ion source, delivered deuterons which generated neutrons with energies higher than 14 MeV through the $\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}{}^{7}\mathrm{Li(d,n)}{}^{8}\mathrm{Be}$ reaction. Deuterons with sub-MeV energy were accelerated from the front surface of a massive $\mathrm{CD}_{2}$ target in the backward direction with respect to the laser beam vector. Simultaneously, neutrons were emitted from the primary $\mathrm{CD}_{2}$ target and a secondary LiF catcher. The total maximum measured neutron yield from ${}^{2}\mathrm{D(d,n)}{}^{3}\mathrm{He}$, ${}^{7}\mathrm{Li(d,n)}{}^{8}\mathrm{Be}$, ${}^{12}\mathrm{C(d,n)}{}^{13}\mathrm{N}$ reactions was ${\sim } 3.5 ({\pm }0.5) \times 10^{8}\ \mathrm{neutrons/shot}$.

A space-resolved charge density of ions is derived from a time-resolved current of ions emitted from laser-produced plasma and expanded into the vacuum along collision-free and field-free paths. This derivation is based on a similarity relationship for ion currents with “frozen” charges observed at different distances from the target. This relationship makes it possible to determine a map of ion charge density at selected times after the laser plasma interaction from signals of time-of-flight detectors positioned at a certain distance from the target around a target-surface normal. In this work, we present maps of the charge density of ions emitted from Cu and polyethylene plasmas. The mapping demonstrates that bursts of ions are emitted at various ejection angles ϕn with respect to the target-surface normal. There are two basic directions ϕ1 and ϕ2, one belonging to the fastest ions, i.e., protons and carbon ions, and the other one to the slowest ions being a part of each plasma plume.

A massive deuterated polyethylene target was exposed to laser intensities of about 3 × 1016 W/cm2 employing the 3-TW Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS). We achieved a yield of 2 × 108 neutrons per laser shot. Average time-of-flight signals of scintillation detectors operated in current mode reveal broad energy spectra of fusion neutrons with dominating energy of about 2.45 MeV. The energy dependence of the neutron yield shows a consistency in results of nanosecond, picosecond and sub-picosecond experiments. Here we also show that ions emitted in the backward direction from the front target surface have a multi-peak energy spectrum, which is caused by burst emission mechanisms.

Silicon carbide (SiC) detectors were used to analyze the multi-MeV ions of the plasma produced by irradiation of various targets with a 300-ps laser at intensity of 1016 W/cm2. The SiC detectors were realized by fabricating Schottky diodes on 80 μm epitaxial layer. The low dopant concentration and defect density of the epilayer allowed the realization of good performance detectors. The use of SiC detectors ensures the cutting of the visible and soft ultraviolet radiation emitted from plasma enhancing the sensitivity to very fast ions. The time-of-flight spectra obtained by irradiating different targets show a peak associated to protons and various peaks relative to different charge states of ions. Processing of the experimental data allows to estimate the energies of the protons and of the different ions emitted from laser-induced plasma. The SiC detector results are compared with the ones obtained by Ion Collector and a Thomson Parabola spectrometer.

Time-of-flight spectra of C, Fe, and Si ions produced with the use of a KrF excimer laser have been analyzed. Ion currents were collected by Faraday cups and their responses were analyzed using a detector signal function. This function was derived from shifted Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution, in order to uncover the contribution of partial currents of all the ionized species constituting the expanding plasma plume. The deconvolution method allowed to estimate parameters of the plasma, such as the ion temperature and the center-of-mass velocities of expanding ionized species. Furthermore, the linear charge-state dependence of the center-of-mass velocity has revealed the contribution of hydrodynamic and electrostatic forces to the expansion velocity of the plasma. The nearly isotropic distribution of the center-of-mass velocity indicates that the shape of the plasma plume is determined mainly by the angular distribution of the ionization degree of ions.

Using the PALS iodine laser system, Au ions with the charge state up to 58+ and with the kinetic energy as high as ~300 MeV were generated. The production of these ions was tested in dependence on the laser frequency (1ω, 3ω), on the irradiation/detection angles (0°, 30°), on the focus position with regard to the target surface, and on the target thickness (500 µm, 200 µm, 80 µm). A larger amount of the fastest ions was produced with 1ω than with 3ω, the most of the fast ions were recorded in the direction ~10° from the target normal, the optimum focus position is in front of the target and should be set on with a precision of 50 µm. The forward emission is weaker than the backward one for both of the thinner targets (which burn through) at our experimental conditions.

Repeated plasma outbursts were recognized at our analyzing currents of the fast carbon and fluorine ions produced with the sub-nanosecond PALS laser beam (λ0 = 1.315 µm, τL = ≈350 ps, Imax ≈ 6 × 1015 W/cm2) focused onto polytetrafluoroethylene and polyethylene targets. This study deals with a repetitive occurrence of doublets of C6+-C5+ and F9+-F8+ ion peaks in the time-of-flight (TOF) spectra, whose TOF can be related to the same accelerating voltage: . The repeated occurrence of ion outbursts containing fully ionized ions can be characterized by a set of discrete voltages Ui, where the subscript i ∈ (1, N) labels the outbursts of ions from the fastest one (i = 1) up to the slowest and in the TOF spectrum yet distinguishable outburst (i = N). These discrete values could indicate plasma pulsations followed by repetitive outbursts of ions. The ions expand with a velocity up to ≈9 × 108 cm/s. The corresponding values of the accelerating voltage of ≈800 kv, and the temperature of ≈1.1 keV were determined by revealing partial ion currents based on the shifted Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution. Characteristics of fast ion outbursts depend on the focus position with respect to the target surface.

Angular distributions of currents and velocities (energies) of ions produced at various target irradiation angles and laser intensities ranged from 1010 W/cm2 to 1017 W/cm2 were analyzed. It was confirmed that for low laser intensities the ion current distributions are always peaked along the target normal. However, at laser intensities comparable to or higher than 1014 W/cm2, the preferred direction of ion emission strongly depends on the irradiation geometry (laser focus setting, the irradiation angle), and can be off the target normal. This is very likely caused by the non-linear interaction of the laser beam with produced plasma, in particular, by the action of ponderomotive forces and the laser beam self-focusing.

Self-focusing effects, induced by ASTERIX pulsed laser at PALS Laboratory of Prague, have been investigated. Laser was employed at the third harmonics (438 nm) and intensities of the order of 1016 W/cm2. Pure Au was used as thin target and irradiated with 30° incidence angle. An ion energy analyzer was employed to detect the energy-to-mass ratio of emitted ions from plasma. Measurements were performed by changing the focal point position with a high spatial resolution step-motor. Results demonstrated that non linear processes, due to self-focusing effects, occurs when the laser beam is focused at about 200 µm in front of the target surface. In such conditions, a new ion group, having high charge state and kinetic energy, is produced because of the increment in temperature of the laser-generated plasma.

The aim of the reported research is to contribute to investigation of new processes and methods interlinking nuclear and laser-plasma physics. With respect to requirements of nuclear experiments at medium-size high-power lasers, the selection of proper candidates for studying the excitation and decay of low-lying nuclear states is reviewed. An experimental approach to the identification of low-energy nuclear transitions is discussed, simple estimates of the 181Ta excitation yield in the laser-generated plasma provide a theoretical basis for planning future work. First tests and results of the experiments at the laser facility PALS are presented.

Intense laser-beam interactions with preformed plasma, preceding the laser-target interactions, significantly influence both the ion and X-ray generation. It is due to the laser pulse (its total length, the shape of the front edge, its background, the contrast, the radial homogeneity) as well as plasma (density, temperature) properties. Generation of the super fast (FF) ion groups is connected with a presence of non-linear processes. Saturated maximum of the charge states (independently on the laser intensity) is ascribed to the constant limit radius of the self-focused laser beam. Its longitudinal structure is considered as a possible explanation for the course of some experimental dependencies obtained.