Recent experiments on the hydrodynamics of laser-produced plasmas conducted at the PALS laboratory

D. Batani (1) , R. Dezulian (1) , R. Redaelli (1) , R. Benocci (1) , H. Stabile (1) , F. Canova (1) , T. Desai (1) , G. Lucchini (1) , E. Krousky (2) , K. Masek (2) , M. Pfeifer (2) , J. Skala (2) , R. Dudzak (2) , B. Rus (2) , J. Ullschmied (2) , Victor Malka (3) , Jérôme Faure (3) , M. Koenig (4) , J. Limpouch (5) , W. Nazarov (6) , D. Pepler (7) , K. Nagai (8) , T. Norimatsu (8) , H. Nishimura (8)

1 Dipartimento di Fisica "Giuseppe Occhialini" = Department of Physics "Giuseppe Occhialini" [Milano-Bicocca]
2 PALS - Institute of Physics
3 LOA - Laboratoire d'optique appliquée
4 LULI - Laboratoire pour l'utilisation des lasers intenses
5 Doppler Institute/ Department of Mathematics
6 University of St Andrews [Scotland]
7 Central Laser Facility
8 Osaka University [Osaka]

We present a series of experimental results, and their interpretation, connected to various aspects of the hydrodynamics of laser produced plasmas. Experiments were performed using the Prague PALS iodine laser working at 0.44 µm wavelength and irradiances up to a few 10^14W0cm^2. By adopting large focal spots and smoothed laser beams, the lateral energy transport and lateral expansion have been avoided. Therefore we could reach a quasi one-dimensional regime for which experimental results can be more easily and properly compared to available analytical models.

Keywords: Equation of State; Laboratory Astrophysics; Plasma Hydrodynamics; Shock Acceleration; Shock Pressure; Smoothing

Domains: Optics [physics.optics]

D. Batani, R. Dezulian, R. Redaelli, R. Benocci, H. Stabile, et al.. Recent experiments on the hydrodynamics of laser-produced plasmas conducted at the PALS laboratory. Laser and Particle Beams, 2007, 25, pp.127-141. ⟨10.1017/S0263034607070164⟩. ⟨hal-00502198⟩