title: Plasma-accelerated flyer-plates for equation of state studies.
abstract: We report on a new technique to accelerate flyer-plates to high velocities (∼5 km/s). In this work, a strong shock is created through direct laser ablation of a thin polyimide foil. Subsequent shock breakout of that foil results in the generation of a plasma characterized by a smoothly increasing density gradient and a strong forward momentum. Stagnation of this plasma onto an aluminum foil and the resultant momentum transfer accelerates a thin aluminum flyer-plate. The aluminum flyer-plate is then accelerated to a peak velocity of ∼5 km/s before impact with a transparent lithium fluoride (LiF) window. Simulations of the stagnating plasma ramp compression and wave reverberations within the flyer-plate suggest that the temperature at the flyer-plate impact surface is elevated by less than 50 °C. Optical velocimetry is used to measure the flyer-plate velocity and impact conditions enabling the shocked refractive index of LiF to be determined. The results presented here are in agreement with conventional flyer-plate measurements validating the use of plasma-accelerated flyer-plates for equation of state and impact studies.
authors.affiliation: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Fratanduono
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Boehly
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Eggert
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Collins