Abstract
Experimental evidence of plasma jets ejected from the rear side of thin solid targets irradiated by ultraintense (> 10(19) W cm(-2)) laser pulses is presented. The jets, detected by transverse interferometric measurements with high spatial and temporal resolutions, show collimated expansion lasting for several hundreds of picoseconds and have substantially steep density gradients at their periphery. The role played by radiation pressure of the laser in the jet formation process is highlighted analytically and by extensive two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 225004 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 100 |
Issue number | 22 |
Early online date | 04 Jun 2008 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 06 Jun 2008 |