1,721,208 research outputs found
Study of shock waves generation, hot electron production and role of parametric instabilities in an intensity regime relevant for the shock ignition
No full textWe present experimental results at intensities relevant to Shock Ignition obtained at the sub-ns Prague Asterix Laser System in 2012. We studied shock waves produced by laser-matter interaction in presence of a pre-plasma. We used a first beam at 1ω (1315 nm) at 7 x 1013 W/cm2 to create a pre-plasma on the front side of the target and a second at 3ω (438 nm) at ∼ 1016 W/cm2 to create the shock wave. Multilayer targets composed of 25 (or 40 m) of plastic (doped with Cl), 5 m of Cu (for K diagnostics) and 20 m of Al for shock measurement were used. We used X-ray spectroscopy of Cl to evaluate the plasma temperature, K imaging and spectroscopy to evaluate spatial and spectral properties of the fast electrons and a streak camera for shock breakout measurements. Parametric instabilities (Stimulated Raman Scattering, Stimulated Brillouin Scattering and Two Plasmon Decay) were studied by collecting the back scattered light and analysing its spectrum. Back scattered energy was measured with calorimeters. To evaluate the maximum pressure reached in our experiment we performed hydro simulations with CHIC and DUED codes. The maximum shock pressure generated in our experiment at the front side of the target during laser-interaction is 90 Mbar. The conversion efficiency into hot electrons was estimated to be of the order of ∼ 0.1% and their mean energy in the order ∼50 keV. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd
Recent results from experimental studies on laser-plasma coupling in a shock ignition relevant regime
No full textShock ignition (SI) is an appealing approach in the inertial confinement scenario for the ignition and burn of a pre-compressed fusion pellet. In this scheme, a strong converging shock is launched by laser irradiation at an intensity Iλ2 > 1015 W cm-2 μm2 at the end of the compression phase. In this intensity regime, laser-plasma interactions are characterized by the onset of a variety of instabilities, including stimulated Raman scattering, Brillouin scattering and the two plasmon decay, accompanied by the generation of a population of fast electrons. The effect of the fast electrons on the efficiency of the shock wave production is investigated in a series of dedicated experiments at the Prague Asterix Laser Facility (PALS). We study the laser-plasma coupling in a SI relevant regime in a planar geometry by creating an extended preformed plasma with a laser beam at ∼7 × 1013 W cm-2 (250 ps, 1315 nm). A strong shock is launched by irradiation with a second laser beam at intensities in the range 1015-1016 W cm-2 (250 ps, 438 nm) at various delays with respect to the first beam. The pre-plasma is characterized using x-ray spectroscopy, ion diagnostics and interferometry. Spectroscopy and calorimetry of the backscattered radiation is performed in the spectral range 250-850 nm, including (3/2)ω, ω and ω/2 emission. The fast electron production is characterized through spectroscopy and imaging of the Kα emission. Information on the shock pressure is obtained using shock breakout chronometry and measurements of the craters produced by the shock in a massive target. Preliminary results show that the backscattered energy is in the range 3-15%, mainly due to backscattered light at the laser wavelength (438 nm), which increases with increasing the delay between the two laser beams. The values of the peak shock pressures inferred from the shock breakout times are lower than expected from 2D numerical simulations. The same simulations reveal that the 2D effects play a major role in these experiments, with the laser spot size comparable with the distance between critical and ablation layers. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd
Low-noise time-resolved optical sensing of electromagnetic pulses from petawatt laser-matter interactions
No full textWe report on the development and deployment of an optical diagnostic for single-shot measurement of the electric-field components of electromagnetic pulses from high-intensity laser-matter interactions in a high-noise environment. The electro-optic Pockels effect in KDP crystals was used to measure transient electric fields using a geometry easily modifiable for magnetic field detection via Faraday rotation. Using dielectric sensors and an optical fibre-based readout ensures minimal field perturbations compared to conductive probes and greatly limits unwanted electrical pickup between probe and recording system. The device was tested at the Vulcan Petawatt facility with 1020 W cm-2 peak intensities, the first time such a diagnostic has been used in this regime. The probe crystals were located ~1.25 m from target and did not require direct view of the source plasma. The measured signals compare favourably with previously reported studies from Vulcan, in terms of the maximum measured intra-crystal field of 10.9 kV/m, signal duration and detected frequency content which was found to match the interaction chamber's horizontal-plane fundamental harmonics of 76 and 101 MHz. Methods for improving the diagnostic for future use are also discussed in detail. Orthogonal optical probes offer a low-noise alternative for direct simultaneous measurement of each vector field component. © 2017 The Author(s)
A laser application to nuclear astrophysics
No full textIn the last decade, the availability in high-intensity laser beams capable of producing plasmas with ion energies large enough to induce nuclear reactions has opened new research paths in nuclear physics. We studied the reactions 3He(d, p)4He and d(d,n)3He at temperatures of few keV in a plasma, generated by the interaction of intense ultrafast laser pulses with molecular deuterium or deuterated-methane clusters mixed with 3He atoms. The yield of 14.7 MeV protons from the 3He(d, p)4He reaction was used to extract the astrophysical S factor. Results of the experiment performed at the Center for High Energy Density Science at The University of Texas at Austin will be presented. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC
L'evoluzione delle relazioni industriali nel posto di lavoro in un contesto di globalizzazione: una survey internazionale nel settore elettronico ed elettromeccanico
Full text linkRivista Sociologia del Lavor
CR-39 track detector calibration for H, He, and C ions from 0.1-0.5 MeV up to 5 MeV for laser-induced nuclear fusion product identification
No full textLaser-accelerated ion beams can be used in many applications and, especially, to initiate nuclear reactions out of thermal equilibrium. We have experimentally studied aneutronic fusion reactions induced by protons accelerated by the Target Normal Sheath Acceleration mechanism, colliding with a boron target. Such experiments require a rigorous method to identify the reaction products (alpha particles) collected in detectors among a few other ion species such as protons or carbon ions, for example. CR-39 track detectors are widely used because they are mostly sensitive to ions and their efficiency is near 100%. We present a complete calibration of CR-39 track detector for protons, alpha particles, and carbon ions. We give measurements of their track diameters for energy ranging from hundreds of keV to a few MeV and for etching times between 1 and 8 h. We used these results to identify alpha particles in our experiments on proton-boron fusion reactions initiated by laser-accelerated protons. We show that their number clearly increases when the boron fuel is preformed in a plasma state. © 2015 AIP Publishing LLC
EMP characterization at PALS on solid-target experiments
No full textWe describe the characterization of electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) in experiments on solid targets at PALS laser facility in Prague, for energy up to 600 J and intensity up to 1016 W cm-2 at focus. Measurements of EMPs have been performed by different conductive probes placed inside and outside the experimental chamber. We show results for different targets and probe configurations, and illustrate effects of spurious direct coupling of these transient fields with the read-out apparatus, which are important for high-energy and high-intensity laser-plasma experiments. The related countermeasures are described and demonstrated to be very effective for improving the signal-to-noise ratio, at expenses of measured bandwidths. They allowed us to detect the EMP components due to the intense neutralization currents flowing through the target holder, and those possibly due to wakefields associated with emitted charged particles, which resulted in these experiments to be of the same order of magnitude. It is the first time both discharge current and associated EMP are effectively measured in the same nanosecond-scale experiment, where this EMP contribution is effectively detected by conductive probes. A remarkable agreement was obtained from comparison of the detected EMP profile with measured neutralization current. We also show the results achieved by means of electromagnetic simulations of fields in the modeled experimental chamber, in particular in the regions where the probes were actually placed during the experiments, and compare them with measured signals. It appears that conductive probes have limitations for the measurement of the high-frequency components of the EMP fields. The illustrated results are of primary importance for the hot topic of EMP characterization and minimization in plants for inertial-confinement-fusion (NIF, LMJ, PETAL) as well as for laser-plasma acceleration (PETAL, ELI, Apollon⋯). © 2018 ENEA
Electro-optic analysis of the influence of target geometry on electromagnetic pulses generated by petawatt laser-matter interactions
No full textWe present an analysis of strong laser-driven electromagnetic pulses using novel electro-optic diagnostic techniques. A range of targets were considered, including thin plastic foils (20-550 nm) and mass-limited, optically-levitated micro-targets. Results from foils indicate a dependence of EMP on target thickness, with larger peak electric fields observed with thinner targets. Spectral analysis suggests high repeatability between shots, with identified spectral features consistently detected with 30 MeV energies, suggesting the discharge current contribution to EMP is dominant. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2018
Experiment on laser interaction with a planar target for conditions relevant to shock ignition
No full textWe report the experiment conducted on the Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS) laser facility dedicated to make a parametric study of the laser-plasma interaction under the physical conditions corresponding to shock ignition thermonuclear fusion reactions. Two laser beams have been used: the auxiliary beam, for preplasma creation on the surface of a plastic foil, and the main beam to launch a strong shock. The ablation pressure is inferred from the volume of the crater in the Cu layer situated behind the plastic foil and by shock breakout chronometry. The population of fast electrons is analyzed by Kα emission spectroscopy and imaging. The preplasma is characterized by three-frame interferometry, x-ray spectroscopy and ion diagnostics. The numerical simulations constrained with the measured data gave a maximum pressure in the plastic layer of about 90 Mbar. © 2014 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
New scheme to produce aneutronic fusion reactions by laser-accelerated ions
No full textThe development of high-intensity lasers has opened the field of nuclear reactions initiated by laser-accelerated particles. One possible application is the production of aneutronic fusion reactions for clean fusion energy production. We propose an innovative scheme based on the use of two targets and present the first results obtained with the ELFIE facility (at the LULI Laboratory) for the proton-boron-11 (p-11B) fusion reaction. A proton beam, accelerated by the Target Normal Sheat Acceleration mechanism using a short laser pulse (12 J, 350 fs, 1.056 m, 1019 W cm-2), is sent onto a boron target to initiate fusion reactions. The number of reactions is measured with particle diagnostics such as CR39 track-detectors, active nuclear diagnostic, Thomson Parabola, magnetic spectrometer, and time-of-flight detectors that collect the fusion products: the α-particles. Our experiment shows promising results for this scheme. In the present paper, we discuss its principle and advantages compared with another scheme that uses a single target and heating mechanisms directly with photons to initiate the same p-11B fusion reaction. © 2015 Cambridge University Press
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