Enhanced isochoric heating from fast electrons produced by high-contrast, relativistic-intensity laser pulses.
Thin, mass-limited targets composed of V/Cu/Al layers with diameters ranging from 50 to 300 microm have been isochorically heated by a 300 fs laser pulse delivering up to 10 J at 2x10{19} W/cm{2} irradiance. Detailed spectral analysis of the Cu x-ray emission indicates that the highest temperatures, of the order of 100 eV, have been reached when irradiating the smallest targets with a high-contrast, frequency-doubled pulse despite a reduced laser energy. Collisional particle-in-cell simulations confirm the detrimental influence of the preformed plasma on the bulk target heating.
Perez
F
F
Laboratoire pour l'Utilisation des Lasers Intenses, UMR 7605 CNRS-CEA-X-Paris VI, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France. frederic.perez@polytechnique.edu
Gremillet
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Koenig
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Baton
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Audebert
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P
Chahid
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Rousseaux
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Drouin
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M
Lefebvre
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Vinci
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Rassuchine
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J
Cowan
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Gaillard
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Flippo
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Shepherd
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