TY - JOUR
T1 - Interaction of High Intensity Picosecond Laser Pulses with Large Pre-formed Plasmas
AU - Riley, David
AU - Smith, R.A.
AU - Mackinnon, A.
AU - Hutchinson, M.H.R.
AU - Willi, O.
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - The interaction of short (1-2 ps) laser pulses with solid targets at irradiances of over 1016
Wcm~2
, in the presence of a substantial prepulse has been investigated. High absorption of
laser energy is found even at high angles of incidence, with evidence for a resonance absorption
peak being found for S, P, and circular polarizations. It is considered that this may be a result
of refraction and beam filamentation, which causes loss of distinct polarization. Measurements
of hard X-ray emission (~ 100 keV) confirm a resonance absorption type peak at 45-50°, again
for all three cases. Typically, 5-15% of the incident light is back-reflected by stimulated Brillouin
scatter, with spatially resolved spectra showing evidence of beam hot-spots at high intensity.
The possibility that filamentation and refraction of the beam can explain the lack of
polarization dependence in the absorption and hard X-ray emission data is discussed.
AB - The interaction of short (1-2 ps) laser pulses with solid targets at irradiances of over 1016
Wcm~2
, in the presence of a substantial prepulse has been investigated. High absorption of
laser energy is found even at high angles of incidence, with evidence for a resonance absorption
peak being found for S, P, and circular polarizations. It is considered that this may be a result
of refraction and beam filamentation, which causes loss of distinct polarization. Measurements
of hard X-ray emission (~ 100 keV) confirm a resonance absorption type peak at 45-50°, again
for all three cases. Typically, 5-15% of the incident light is back-reflected by stimulated Brillouin
scatter, with spatially resolved spectra showing evidence of beam hot-spots at high intensity.
The possibility that filamentation and refraction of the beam can explain the lack of
polarization dependence in the absorption and hard X-ray emission data is discussed.
U2 - 10.1017/S0263034600011812
DO - 10.1017/S0263034600011812
M3 - Article
SN - 0263-0346
VL - 16
SP - 101
EP - 113
JO - Laser And Particle Beams
JF - Laser And Particle Beams
IS - 1
ER -