scholarly journals Recent laser upgrades at Sandia’s Z-backlighter facility in order to accommodate new requirements for magnetized liner inertial fusion on the Z-machine

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Schwarz ◽  
Patrick Rambo ◽  
Darrell Armstrong ◽  
Marius Schollmeier ◽  
Ian Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Optics ◽  
Brillouin Scattering ◽  
Short Pulse ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Pulse Mode ◽  
High Energy Density ◽  
Inertial Fusion ◽  
Nanosecond Laser ◽  
Short Pulse Laser ◽  
Laser Systems

The Z-backlighter laser facility primarily consists of two high energy, high-power laser systems. Z-Beamlet laser (ZBL) (Rambo et al., Appl. Opt. 44, 2421 (2005)) is a multi-kJ-class, nanosecond laser operating at 1054 nm which is frequency doubled to 527 nm in order to provide x-ray backlighting of high energy density events on the Z-machine. Z-Petawatt (ZPW) (Schwarz et al., J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 112, 032020 (2008)) is a petawatt-class system operating at 1054 nm delivering up to 500 J in 500 fs for backlighting and various short-pulse laser experiments (see also Figure 10 for a facility overview). With the development of the magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) concept on the Z-machine, the primary backlighting missions of ZBL and ZPW have been adjusted accordingly. As a result, we have focused our recent efforts on increasing the output energy of ZBL from 2 to 4 kJ at 527 nm by modifying the fiber front end to now include extra bandwidth (for stimulated Brillouin scattering suppression). The MagLIF concept requires a well-defined/behaved beam for interaction with the pressurized fuel. Hence we have made great efforts to implement an adaptive optics system on ZBL and have explored the use of phase plates. We are also exploring concepts to use ZPW as a backlighter for ZBL driven MagLIF experiments. Alternatively, ZPW could be used as an additional fusion fuel pre-heater or as a temporally flexible high energy pre-pulse. All of these concepts require the ability to operate the ZPW in a nanosecond long-pulse mode, in which the beam can co-propagate with ZBL. Some of the proposed modifications are complete and most of them are well on their way.

scholarly journals Development of the PETAL Laser Facility and its Diagnostic Tools

10.14311/1721 ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitri Batani ◽  
Sebastien Hulin ◽  
Jean Eric Ducret ◽  
Emmanuel D’Humieres ◽  
Vladimir Tikhonchuk et al.
Keyword(s):  
Short Pulse ◽  
High Energy ◽  
High Energy Density ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Performance Goal ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Short Pulse Laser ◽  
Laser Facility ◽  
Operational Phase

The PETAL system (PETawatt Aquitaine Laser) is a high-energy short-pulse laser, currently in an advanced construction phase, to be combined with the French Mega-Joule Laser (LMJ). In a first operational phase (beginning in 2015 and 2016) PETAL will provide 1 kJ in 1 ps and will be coupled to the first four LMJ quads. The ultimate performance goal to reach 7PW (3.5 kJ with 0.5 ps pulses). Once in operation, LMJ and PETAL will form a unique facility in Europe for High Energy Density Physics (HEDP). PETAL is aiming at providing secondary sources of particles and radiation to diagnose the HED plasmas generated by the LMJ beams. It also will be used to create HED states by short-pulse heating of matter. Petal+ is an auxiliary project addressed to design and build diagnostics for experiments with PETAL. Within this project, three types of diagnostics are planned: a proton spectrometer, an electronspectrometer and a large-range X-ray spectrometer.

scholarly journals Modeling of High-Energy Particles and Radiation Production for Multipetawatt Laser Facilities

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
D. Raffestin ◽  
D. Batani ◽  
J. Caron ◽  
J. Baggio ◽  
G. Boutoux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Power ◽  
Short Pulse ◽  
High Energy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
High Power Laser ◽  
Power Laser ◽  
Short Pulse Laser ◽  
Laser Facility ◽  
Laser Systems ◽  
High Energy Particles

The advent of high-energy short-pulse laser beams poses new problems related to radiation protection. The radiation generated in experiments using multipetawatt laser systems leads to prompt doses and potentially to the activation of the materials within the interaction chamber and the experimental hall. Despite many new PW laser facilities are nowadays entering into operation, this question has received little attention until now. In this paper, we evaluate the radiological effects induced by the operation of a high-power laser facility. Two working regimes are considered related to the production of hard X-rays and energetic protons. The methodology is general and may be applied for the design of experiments with any high-power laser systems.

scholarly journals Boosted acceleration of protons by tailored ultra-thin foil targets

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vural Kaymak ◽  
Esin Aktan ◽  
Mirela Cerchez ◽  
Bentsian Elkin ◽  
Marc Papenheim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Laser Energy ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Short Pulse ◽  
Thin Foil ◽  
High Energy ◽  
High Repetition Rate ◽  
Acceleration Process ◽  
Short Pulse Laser ◽  
Laser Systems ◽  
Target Energy

AbstractWe report on a detailed experimental and numerical study on the boosted acceleration of protons from ultra-thin hemispherical targets utilizing multi-Joule short-pulse laser-systems. For a laser intensity of 1 × 1020 W/cm2 and an on-target energy of only 1.3 J with this setup a proton cut-off energy of 8.5 MeV was achieved, which is a factor of 1.8 higher compared to a flat foil target of the same thickness. While a boost of the acceleration process by additionally injected electrons was observed for sophisticated targets at high-energy laser-systems before, our studies reveal that the process can be utilized over at least two orders of magnitude in intensity and is therefore suitable for a large number of nowadays existing laser-systems. We retrieved a cut-off energy of about 6.5 MeV of proton energy per Joule of incident laser energy, which is a noticeable enhancement with respect to previous results employing this mechanism. The approach presented here has the advantage of using structure-wise simple targets and being sustainable for numerous applications and high repetition rate demands at the same time.

Demonstration of TNSA proton radiography on the National Ignition Facility Advanced Radiographic Capability (NIF-ARC) laser

2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 124006
Author(s):  
R A Simpson ◽  
D A Mariscal ◽  
J Kim ◽  
G G Scott ◽  
G J Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Short Pulse ◽  
Laser System ◽  
High Energy ◽  
High Energy Density ◽  
Proton Radiography ◽  
Short Pulse Laser ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Proton Source ◽  
Laser Drivers

Abstract Proton radiography using short-pulse laser drivers is an important tool in high-energy density (HED) science for dynamically diagnosing key characteristics in plasma interactions. Here we detail the first demonstration of target-normal sheath acceleration (TNSA)-based proton radiography the NIF-ARC laser system aided by the use of compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs). The multi-kJ energies available at the NIF-ARC laser allows for a high-brightness proton source for radiography and thus enabling a wide range of applications in HED science. In this demonstration, proton radiography of a physics package was performed and this work details the spectral properties of the TNSA proton probe as well as description of the resulting radiography quality.

Experimental investigation of opacity models for stellar interior, inertial fusion, and high energy density plasmas

2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 058101 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Bailey ◽  
G. A. Rochau ◽  
R. C. Mancini ◽  
C. A. Iglesias ◽  
J. J. MacFarlane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Investigation ◽  
Energy Density ◽  
High Energy ◽  
High Energy Density ◽  
Inertial Fusion ◽  
Stellar Interior ◽  
High Energy Density Plasmas

High-energy X-ray radiography of laser shock loaded metal dynamic fragmentation using high-intensity short-pulse laser

2018 ◽  
Vol 89 (11) ◽  
pp. 115106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genbai Chu ◽  
Tao Xi ◽  
Minghai Yu ◽  
Wei Fan ◽  
Yongqiang Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulse Laser ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Short Pulse ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Laser Shock ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Dynamic Fragmentation ◽  
Short Pulse Laser

scholarly journals A Study on the Plasma Plume Expansion Dynamics of Nanosecond Laser Ablating Al/PTFE

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 3321
Author(s):  
Sheng Tan ◽  
Moge Wang ◽  
Jianjun Wu ◽  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Jian Li
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Plume ◽  
Laser Energy ◽  
Short Pulse ◽  
Ambient Pressure ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Nanosecond Laser ◽  
Expansion Process ◽  
Plume Expansion ◽  
Plume Front ◽  
Short Pulse Laser

To study the plasma plume expansion dynamics of nanosecond laser ablating Al/PTFE, the Al/PTFE propellant was prepared by a molding sintering method and the rapid expansion process of the plasma plume was photographed using fast photography technology. The effects of the proportion of Al, laser energy and ambient pressure on plasma plume expansion dynamics are analyzed. The results show that the plume expansion process of laser ablating Al/PTFE plasma can be divided into three stages and this phenomenon has not been reported in the literature. The Al powder doped in PTFE will block part of the laser transmission into the propellant, thus reducing the laser absorption depth of the propellant. In the case of short pulse laser ablation, the reaction rate between Al and PTFE is optimal when the reductant is slightly higher than the oxidant. As the laser energy increases, the light intensity of the plasma becomes stronger, the plasma size becomes larger and the existence time of plasma becomes longer. In the first stage plume, the plume expands freely at the ambient pressure of 0.005 Pa and the plume expansion distance is linearly related to time, while the shock wave formed at the interface between the plume front and the ambient gas at the ambient pressure of 5 Pa and the expansion can be described by S-T theory.

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