title: Ideal laser-beam propagation through high-temperature ignition Hohlraum plasmas.
abstract: We demonstrate that a blue (3omega, 351 nm) laser beam with an intensity of 2 x 10(15) W cm(-2) propagates nearly within the original beam cone through a millimeter scale, T(e)=3.5 keV high density (n(e)=5 x 10(20) cm(-3)) plasma. The beam produced less than 1% total backscatter at these high temperatures and densities; the resulting transmission is greater than 90%. Scaling of the electron temperature in the plasma shows that the plasma becomes transparent for uniform electron temperatures above 3 keV. These results are consistent with linear theory thresholds for both filamentation and backscatter instabilities inferred from detailed hydrodynamic simulations. This provides a strong justification for current inertial confinement fusion designs to remain below these thresholds.
authors.affiliation: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, CA 94551, USA. froula1@llnl.gov
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Froula
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Divol
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Meezan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dixit
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Moody
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumayer
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Glenzer