Observation of ion temperatures exceeding background electron temperatures in petawatt laser-solid experiments

P.A. Norreys, K.L. Lancaster, H. Habara, J.R. Davies, J.T. Mendonca, R.J. Clarke, Brendan Dromey, A. Gopal, S. Karsch, R. Kodama, K. Krushelnick, S.D. Moustaizis, C. Stoeckl, M. Tatarakis, M. Tampo, N. Vakakis, M.S. Wei, Matthew Zepf

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Neutron time of flight signals have been observed with a high resolution neutron spectrometer using the petawatt arm of the Vulcan laser facility at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory from plastic sandwich targets containing a deuterated layer. The neutron spectra have two elements: a high-energy component generated by beam-fusion reactions and a thermal component around 2.45 MeV. The ion temperatures calculated from the neutron signal width clearly demonstrate a dependence on the front layer thickness and are significantly higher than electron temperatures measured under similar conditions. The ion heating process is intensity dependent and is not observed with laser intensities on target below 10(20) W cm(-2). The measurements are consistent with an ion instability driven by electron perturbations.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)L49-L56
Number of pages8
JournalPlasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Volume47
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01 Nov 2005

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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