1
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Beier NF, Allison H, Efthimion P, Flippo KA, Gao L, Hansen SB, Hill K, Hollinger R, Logantha M, Musthafa Y, Nedbailo R, Senthilkumaran V, Shepherd R, Shlyaptsev VN, Song H, Wang S, Dollar F, Rocca JJ, Hussein AE. Homogeneous, Micron-Scale High-Energy-Density Matter Generated by Relativistic Laser-Solid Interactions. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 129:135001. [PMID: 36206410 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.129.135001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Short-pulse, laser-solid interactions provide a unique platform for studying complex high-energy-density matter. We present the first demonstration of solid-density, micron-scale keV plasmas uniformly heated by a high-contrast, 400 nm wavelength laser at intensities up to 2×10^{21} W/cm^{2}. High-resolution spectral analysis of x-ray emission reveals uniform heating up to 3.0 keV over 1 μm depths. Particle-in-cell simulations indicate the production of a uniformly heated keV plasma to depths of 2 μm. The significant bulk heating and presence of highly ionized ions deep within the target are attributed to the few MeV hot electrons that become trapped and undergo refluxing within the target sheath fields. These conditions enabled the differentiation of atomic physics models of ionization potential depression in high-energy-density environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- N F Beier
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R3, Canada
- STROBE, NSF Science and Technology Center, University of California, Irvine, California 92617, USA
| | - H Allison
- STROBE, NSF Science and Technology Center, University of California, Irvine, California 92617, USA
| | - P Efthimion
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08536, USA
| | - K A Flippo
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1163, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - L Gao
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08536, USA
| | - S B Hansen
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA
| | - K Hill
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08536, USA
| | - R Hollinger
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
| | - M Logantha
- STROBE, NSF Science and Technology Center, University of California, Irvine, California 92617, USA
| | - Y Musthafa
- STROBE, NSF Science and Technology Center, University of California, Irvine, California 92617, USA
| | - R Nedbailo
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
| | - V Senthilkumaran
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - R Shepherd
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - V N Shlyaptsev
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
| | - H Song
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
| | - S Wang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
| | - F Dollar
- STROBE, NSF Science and Technology Center, University of California, Irvine, California 92617, USA
| | - J J Rocca
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
- Department of Physics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
| | - A E Hussein
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R3, Canada
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2
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Higashi N, Iwata N, Sano T, Mima K, Sentoku Y. Isochoric heating of solid-density plasmas beyond keV temperature by fast thermal diffusion with relativistic picosecond laser light. Phys Rev E 2022; 105:055202. [PMID: 35706231 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.105.055202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The interaction of relativistic short-pulse lasers with matter produces fast electrons with over megaampere currents, which supposedly heats a solid target isochorically and forms a hot dense plasma. In a picosecond timescale, however, thermal diffusion from hot preformed plasma turns out to be the dominant process of isochoric heating. We describe a heating process, fast thermal diffusion, launched from the preformed plasma heated resistively by the fast electron current. We demonstrate the fast thermal diffusion in the keV range in a solid density plasma by a series of one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. A theoretical model of the fast thermal diffusion is developed and we derive the diffusion speed as a function of the laser amplitude and target density. Under continuous laser irradiation, the diffusion front propagates at a constant speed in uniform plasma. Our model can provide a guideline for fast isochoric heating using future kilojoule petawatt lasers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Higashi
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikanecho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Division of Applied Quantum Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
| | - Natsumi Iwata
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Co-Creation Studies, Osaka University, 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Sano
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kunioki Mima
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Sentoku
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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3
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Li R, Huang TW, Ju LB, Yu MY, Zhang H, Wu SZ, Zhuo HB, Zhou CT, Ruan SC. Nanoscale Electrostatic Modulation of Mega-Ampere Electron Current in Solid-Density Plasmas. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 127:245002. [PMID: 34951809 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.245002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Transport of high-current relativistic electron beams in dense plasmas is of interest in many areas of research. However, so far the mechanism of such beam-plasma interaction is still not well understood due to the appearance of small time- and space-scale effects. Here we identify a new regime of electron beam transport in solid-density plasma, where kinetic effects that develop on small time and space scales play a dominant role. Our three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations show that in this regime the electron beam can evolve into layered short microelectron bunches when collisions are relatively weak. The phenomenon is attributed to a secondary instability, on the space- and timescales of the electron skin depth (tens of nanometers) and few femtoseconds of strong electrostatic modulation of the microelectron current filaments formed by Weibel-like instability of the original electron beam. Analytical analysis on the amplitude, scale length, and excitation condition of the self-generated electrostatic fields is clearly validated by the simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, People's Republic of China
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, People's Republic of China
| | - T W Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, People's Republic of China
| | - L B Ju
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, People's Republic of China
| | - M Y Yu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, People's Republic of China
| | - H Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, People's Republic of China
| | - S Z Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, People's Republic of China
| | - H B Zhuo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, People's Republic of China
| | - C T Zhou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, People's Republic of China
| | - S C Ruan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, People's Republic of China
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4
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Hata M, Sano T, Sentoku Y, Nagatomo H, Sakagami H. Pulse duration constraint of whistler waves in magnetized dense plasma. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:035205. [PMID: 34654167 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.035205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Interactions between large-amplitude laser light and strongly magnetized dense plasma have been investigated by one- and two-dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations. Since whistler waves have no critical density, they can propagate through plasmas beyond the critical density in principle. However, we have found the propagation of whistler waves is restricted significantly by the stimulated Brillouin scattering. It is confirmed that the period during which the whistler wave can propagate in overcritical plasmas is proportional to the growth time of the ion-acoustic wave via the Brillouin instability. The allowable pulse duration of the whistler wave has a power-law dependence on the amplitude of the whistler wave and the external magnetic field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayasu Hata
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Kansai Photon Science Institute (KPSI), National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST), Kizugawa, Kyoto 619-0215, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Sano
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Sentoku
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hideo Nagatomo
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Sakagami
- National Institute for Fusion Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Toki, Gifu 509-5292, Japan
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5
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Morita H, Pollock BB, Goyon CS, Williams GJ, Law KFF, Fujioka S, Moody JD. Dynamics of laser-generated magnetic fields using long laser pulses. Phys Rev E 2021; 103:033201. [PMID: 33862682 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.103.033201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
We report on the experimental investigation of magnetic field generation with a half-loop gold sheet coil driven by long-duration (10 ns) and high-power (0.5 TW) laser pulses. The amplitude of the magnetic field was characterized experimentally using proton deflectometry. The field rises rapidly in the first 1 ns of laser irradiation, and then increases slowly and continuously up to 10 ns during further laser irradiation. The transient dynamics of current shape were investigated with a two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulation that included Ohmic heating of the coil and the resultant change of electrical resistivity determined by the coil material temperature. The numerical simulations show rapid heating at the coil edges by current initially localized at the edges. This current density then diffuses to the central part of the sheet coil in a way that depends both on normal current diffusion as well as temporal changes of the coil resistance induced by the Ohmic heating. The measured temporal evolution of the magnetic field is compared with a model that determines a solution to the coil current and voltage that is consistent with a plasma diode model of the drive region and a 2D simulation of current diffusion and dynamic resistance due to Ohmic heating in the laser coil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Morita
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Bradley B Pollock
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - Clement S Goyon
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - Gerald J Williams
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - King Fai Farley Law
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Fujioka
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - John D Moody
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
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6
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Kawahito D, Bailly-Grandvaux M, Dozières M, McGuffey C, Forestier-Colleoni P, Peebles J, Honrubia JJ, Khiar B, Hansen S, Tzeferacos P, Wei MS, Krauland CM, Gourdain P, Davies JR, Matsuo K, Fujioka S, Campbell EM, Santos JJ, Batani D, Bhutwala K, Zhang S, Beg FN. Fast electron transport dynamics and energy deposition in magnetized, imploded cylindrical plasma. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2021; 379:20200052. [PMID: 33280559 PMCID: PMC7741014 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Inertial confinement fusion approaches involve the creation of high-energy-density states through compression. High gain scenarios may be enabled by the beneficial heating from fast electrons produced with an intense laser and by energy containment with a high-strength magnetic field. Here, we report experimental measurements from a configuration integrating a magnetized, imploded cylindrical plasma and intense laser-driven electrons as well as multi-stage simulations that show fast electrons transport pathways at different times during the implosion and quantify their energy deposition contribution. The experiment consisted of a CH foam cylinder, inside an external coaxial magnetic field of 5 T, that was imploded using 36 OMEGA laser beams. Two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic modelling predicts the CH density reaches [Formula: see text], the temperature reaches 920 eV and the external B-field is amplified at maximum compression to 580 T. At pre-determined times during the compression, the intense OMEGA EP laser irradiated one end of the cylinder to accelerate relativistic electrons into the dense imploded plasma providing additional heating. The relativistic electron beam generation was simulated using a 2D particle-in-cell (PIC) code. Finally, three-dimensional hybrid-PIC simulations calculated the electron propagation and energy deposition inside the target and revealed the roles the compressed and self-generated B-fields play in transport. During a time window before the maximum compression time, the self-generated B-field on the compression front confines the injected electrons inside the target, increasing the temperature through Joule heating. For a stronger B-field seed of 20 T, the electrons are predicted to be guided into the compressed target and provide additional collisional heating. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 2)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Kawahito
- Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USA
| | - M. Bailly-Grandvaux
- Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USA
| | - M. Dozières
- Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USA
| | - C. McGuffey
- Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USA
| | - P. Forestier-Colleoni
- Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USA
| | - J. Peebles
- Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
| | - J. J. Honrubia
- E.T.S.I. Industriales, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - B. Khiar
- Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA), Palaiseau 91123, France
| | - S. Hansen
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA
| | - P. Tzeferacos
- Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - M. S. Wei
- Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
- General Atomics, San Diego, CA 92186, USA
| | | | - P. Gourdain
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
- Extreme State Physics Laboratory, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - J. R. Davies
- Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
| | - K. Matsuo
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - S. Fujioka
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - E. M. Campbell
- Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
| | - J. J. Santos
- Université de Bordeaux-CNRS-CEA, CELIA UMR, 5107 33400 Talence, France
| | - D. Batani
- Université de Bordeaux-CNRS-CEA, CELIA UMR, 5107 33400 Talence, France
| | - K. Bhutwala
- Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USA
| | - S. Zhang
- Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USA
| | - F. N. Beg
- Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USA
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7
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Sano T, Fujioka S, Mori Y, Mima K, Sentoku Y. Thermonuclear fusion triggered by collapsing standing whistler waves in magnetized overdense plasmas. Phys Rev E 2020; 101:013206. [PMID: 32069605 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.101.013206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Thermal fusion plasmas initiated by standing whistler waves are investigated numerically by two- and one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. When a standing whistler wave collapses due to the wave breaking of ion plasma waves, the energy of the electromagnetic waves transfers directly to the ion kinetic energy. Here we find that ion heating by use of standing whistler waves is operational even in multidimensional simulations of multi-ion species targets, such as deuterium-tritium (DT) ices and solid ammonia borane (H_{6}BN). The energy conversion efficiency to ions becomes as high as 15% of the injected laser energy, which depends significantly on the target thickness and laser pulse duration. The ion temperature could reach a few tens of keV or much higher if appropriate laser-plasma conditions are selected. DT fusion plasmas generated by this method must be useful as efficient neutron sources. Our numerical simulations suggest that the neutron generation efficiency exceeds 10^{9} n/J per steradian, which is beyond the current achievements of the state-of-the-art laser experiments. Standing whistler-wave heating would expand the experimental possibility for an alternative ignition design of magnetically confined laser fusion and also for more difficult fusion reactions, including the aneutronic proton-boron reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayoshi Sano
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Fujioka
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Mori
- The Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-1202, Japan
| | - Kunioki Mima
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- The Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-1202, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Sentoku
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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