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Interaction of high intensity picosecond laser pulses with large preformed plasmas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 October 2009

D. Riley ,
R.A. Smith ,
A. J. MacKinnon ,
O. Willi  and
M.H.R. Hutchinson
D. Riley
Affiliation:
The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ
R.A. Smith
Affiliation:
The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ
A. J. MacKinnon
Affiliation:
The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ
O. Willi
Affiliation:
The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ
M.H.R. Hutchinson
Affiliation:
The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ
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Abstract

The interaction of short (1−2 ps) laser pulses with solid targets at irradiances of over 1016 Wcm−2, in the presence of a substantial prepulse has been investigated. High absorption of laser energy is found even at high angles of incidence, with evidence for a resonance absorption peak being found for S, P, and circular polarizations. It is considered that this may be a result of refraction and beam filamentation, which causes loss of distinct polarization. Measurements of hard X-ray emission (∼ 100 keV) confirm a resonance absorption type peak at 45−50°, again for all three cases. Typically, 5−15% of the incident light is back-reflected by stimulated Brillouin scatter, with spatially resolved spectra showing evidence of beam hot-spots at high intensity. The possibility that filamentation and refraction of the beam can explain the lack of polarization dependence in the absorption and hard X-ray emission data is discussed.

Type
Regular Papers
Information
Laser and Particle Beams , Volume 16 , Issue 1: Special Issue: 24th ECLIM , March 1998 , pp. 101 - 113
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

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