Realizing the full potential of ultrahigh-intensity lasers for particle and radiation generation will require multi-beam arrangements due to technology limitations.Here,we investigate how to optimize their coupling wi...Realizing the full potential of ultrahigh-intensity lasers for particle and radiation generation will require multi-beam arrangements due to technology limitations.Here,we investigate how to optimize their coupling with solid targets.Experimentally,we show that overlapping two intense lasers in a mirror-like configuration onto a solid with a large preplasma can greatly improve the generation of hot electrons at the target front and ion acceleration at the target backside.The underlying mechanisms are analyzed through multidimensional particle-in-cell simulations,revealing that the self-induced magnetic fields driven by the two laser beams at the target front are susceptible to reconnection,which is one possible mechanism to boost electron energization.In addition,the resistive magnetic field generated during the transport of the hot electrons in the target bulk tends to improve their collimation.Our simulations also indicate that such effects can be further enhanced by overlapping more than two laser beams.展开更多
With ultrafast laser systems reaching presently 10 PW peak power or operating at high repetition rates,research towards ensuring the long-term,trouble-free performance of all laser-exposed optical components is critic...With ultrafast laser systems reaching presently 10 PW peak power or operating at high repetition rates,research towards ensuring the long-term,trouble-free performance of all laser-exposed optical components is critical.Our work is focused on providing insight into the optical material behavior at fluences below the standardized laser-induced damage threshold(LIDT)value by implementing a simultaneous dual analysis of surface emitted particles using a Langmuir probe(LP)and the target current(TC).HfO_(2) and ZrO_(2) thin films deposited on fused silica substrates by pulsed laser deposition at various O_(2) pressures for defect and stoichiometry control were irradiated by Gaussian,ultrashort laser pulses(800 nm,10 Hz,70 fs)in a wide range of fluences.Both TC and LP collected signals were in good agreement with the existing theoretical description of laser–matter interaction at an ultrashort time scale.Our approach for an in situ LIDT monitoring system provides measurable signals for below-threshold irradiation conditions that indicate the endurance limit of the optical surfaces in the single-shot energy scanning mode.The LIDT value extracted from the LP-TC system is in line with the multipulse statistical analysis done with ISO 21254-2:2011(E).The implementation of the LP and TC as on-shot diagnostic tools for optical components will have a significant impact on the reliability of next-generation ultrafast and high-power laser systems.展开更多
Single-shot X-ray phase-contrast imaging is used to take high-resolution images of laser-driven strong shock waves.Employing a two-grating Talbot interferometer,we successfully acquire standard absorption,differential...Single-shot X-ray phase-contrast imaging is used to take high-resolution images of laser-driven strong shock waves.Employing a two-grating Talbot interferometer,we successfully acquire standard absorption,differential phase-contrast,and dark-field images of the shocked target.Good agreement is demonstrated between experimental data and the results of two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics simulations of the laser-plasma interaction.The main sources of image noise are identified through a thorough assessment of the interferometer’s performance.The acquired images demonstrate that grating-based phase-contrast imaging is a powerful diagnostic tool for high-energy-density science.In addition,we make a novel attempt at using the dark-field image as a signal modality of Talbot interferometry to identify the microstructure of a foam target.展开更多
With the much-anticipated multi-petawatt(PW)laser facilities that are coming online,neutron sources with extreme fluxes could soon be in reach.Such sources would rely on spallation by protons accelerated by the high-i...With the much-anticipated multi-petawatt(PW)laser facilities that are coming online,neutron sources with extreme fluxes could soon be in reach.Such sources would rely on spallation by protons accelerated by the high-intensity lasers.These high neutron fluxes would make possible not only direct measurements of neutron capture andβ-decay rates related to the r-process of nucleosynthesis of heavy elements,but also such nuclear measurements in a hot plasma environment,which would be beneficial for s-process investigations in astrophysically relevant conditions.This could,in turn,finally allow possible reconciliation of the observed element abundances in stars and those derived from simulations,which at present show large discrepancies.Here,we review a possible pathway to reach unprecedented neutron fluxes using multi-PW lasers,as well as strategies to perform measurements to investigate the r-and s-processes of nucleosynthesis of heavy elements in cold matter,as well as in a hot plasma environment.展开更多
The post-compression technique based on self-phase modulation of high-energy pulses leads to an increase in achievable peak power and intensity.Typically,the pulses considered in experiments have been less than 100 fs...The post-compression technique based on self-phase modulation of high-energy pulses leads to an increase in achievable peak power and intensity.Typically,the pulses considered in experiments have been less than 100 fs in duration.Here,the method is applied to the ELFIE laser system at the LULI facility,for a pulse of 7 J energy and an initial measured duration of 350 fs.A 5-mm-thick fused silica window and a 2 mm cyclic-olefin polymer were used as optical nonlinear materials.The 9 cm diameter beam was spectrally broadened to a bandwidth corresponding to 124 fs Fourier-limited pulse duration,and then it was partly post-compressed to 200 fs.After measuring the spatial spectra of the beam fluence,a uniform gain factor of 4 increase in the fluctuations over the studied range of frequencies is observed,due to small-scale self-focusing.展开更多
Recent achievements in laboratory astrophysics experiments with high-power lasers have allowed progress in our understanding of the early stages of star formation.In particular,we have recently demonstrated the possib...Recent achievements in laboratory astrophysics experiments with high-power lasers have allowed progress in our understanding of the early stages of star formation.In particular,we have recently demonstrated the possibility of simulating in the laboratory the process of the accretion of matter on young stars[G.Revet et al.,Sci.Adv.3,e1700982(2017)].The present paper focuses on x-ray spectroscopy methods that allow us to investigate the complex plasma hydrodynamics involved in such experiments.We demonstrate that we can infer the formation of a plasma shell,surrounding the accretion column at the location of impact with the stellar surface,and thus resolve the present discrepancies between mass accretion rates derived from x-ray and optical-radiation astronomical observations originating from the same object.In our experiments,the accretion column ismodeled by having a collimated narrow(1 mm diameter)plasma stream first propagate along the lines of a large-scale external magnetic field and then impact onto an obstacle,mimicking the high-density region of the stellar chromosphere.A combined approach using steady-state and quasi-stationarymodels was successfully applied tomeasure the parameters of the plasma all along its propagation,at the impact site,and in the structure surrounding the impact region.The formation of a hot plasma shell,surrounding the denser and colder core,formed by the incoming stream of matter is observed near the obstacle using x-ray spatially resolved spectroscopy.展开更多
Laser-driven ramp compression was used to investigate iron characteristics along the isentropic path. The iterative Lagrangian analysis method was employed to analyze the free surface velocity profiles in iron stepped...Laser-driven ramp compression was used to investigate iron characteristics along the isentropic path. The iterative Lagrangian analysis method was employed to analyze the free surface velocity profiles in iron stepped target measured with two VISARs. The onset stress for the α to ε phase transformation was determined from the sudden change in the sound velocity and was found over-pressurized compared to the static and shock results. The derived stress（26 GPa） and strain rate（up to 10-8 s^-1） are consistent with our previous experimental results. The stress-density relations were compared with those from previous ramp experiments and good agreements were found, which experimentally confirms the simulations,showing that iterative Lagrangian analysis can be applied to the ramp-compression data with weak shock.展开更多
In this paper, we present a model characterizing the interaction of a radiative shock(RS) with a solid material, as described in a recent paper(Koenig et al., Phys. Plasmas, 24, 082707(2017)), the new model is then re...In this paper, we present a model characterizing the interaction of a radiative shock(RS) with a solid material, as described in a recent paper(Koenig et al., Phys. Plasmas, 24, 082707(2017)), the new model is then related to recent experiments performed on the GEKKO XII laser facility. The RS generated in a xenon gas cell propagates towards a solid obstacle that is ablated by radiation coming from the shock front and the radiative precursor, mimicking processes occurring in astrophysical phenomena. The model presented here calculates the dynamics of the obstacle expansion,which depends on several parameters, notably the geometry and the temperature of the shock. All parameters required for the model have been obtained from experiments. Good agreement between experimental data and the model is found when spherical geometry is taken into account. As a consequence, this model is a useful and easy tool to infer parameters from experimental data(such as the shock temperature), and also to design future experiments.展开更多
A new target design is presented to model high-energy radiative accretion shocks in polars. In this paper, we present the experimental results obtained on the GEKKO XII laser facility for the POLAR project. The experi...A new target design is presented to model high-energy radiative accretion shocks in polars. In this paper, we present the experimental results obtained on the GEKKO XII laser facility for the POLAR project. The experimental results are compared with 2 D FCI2 simulations to characterize the dynamics and the structure of plasma flow before and after the collision. The good agreement between simulations and experimental data confirms the formation of a reverse shock where cooling losses start modifying the post-shock region. With the multi-material structure of the target,a hydrodynamic collimation is exhibited and a radiative structure coupled with the reverse shock is highlighted in both experimental data and simulations. The flexibility of the laser energy produced on GEKKO XII allowed us to produce high-velocity flows and study new and interesting radiation hydrodynamic regimes between those obtained on the LULI2000 and Orion laser facilities.展开更多
We have developed a new radiography setup with a short-pulse laser-driven x-ray source. Using a radiography axis perpendicular to both long- and short-pulse lasers allowed optimizing the incident angle of the short-pu...We have developed a new radiography setup with a short-pulse laser-driven x-ray source. Using a radiography axis perpendicular to both long- and short-pulse lasers allowed optimizing the incident angle of the short-pulse laser on the x-ray source target. The setup has been tested with various x-ray source target materials and different laser wavelengths.Signal to noise ratios are presented as well as achieved spatial resolutions. The high quality of our technique is illustrated on a plasma flow radiograph obtained during a laboratory astrophysics experiment on POLARs.展开更多
The interaction between a molecular cloud and an external agent(e.g.,a supernova remnant,plasma jet,radiation,or another cloud)is a common phenomenon throughout the Universe and can significantly change the star forma...The interaction between a molecular cloud and an external agent(e.g.,a supernova remnant,plasma jet,radiation,or another cloud)is a common phenomenon throughout the Universe and can significantly change the star formation rate within a galaxy.This process leads to fragmentation of the cloud and to its subsequent compression and can,eventually,initiate the gravitational collapse of a stable molecular cloud.It is,however,difficult to study such systems in detail using conventional techniques(numerical simulations and astronomical observations),since complex interactions of flows occur.In this paper,we experimentally investigate the compression of a foam ball by Taylor–Sedov blast waves,as an analog of supernova remnants interacting with a molecular cloud.The formation of a compression wave is observed in the foam ball,indicating the importance of such experiments for understanding how star formation is triggered by external agents.展开更多
Spectral-broadening of the APOLLON PW-class laser pulses using a thin-film compression technique within the longfocal-area interaction chamber of the APOLLON laser facility is reported,demonstrating the delivery of th...Spectral-broadening of the APOLLON PW-class laser pulses using a thin-film compression technique within the longfocal-area interaction chamber of the APOLLON laser facility is reported,demonstrating the delivery of the full energy pulse to the target interaction area.The laser pulse at 7 J passing through large aperture,thin glass wafers is spectrally broadened to a bandwidth that is compatible with a 15-fs pulse,indicating also the possibility to achieve sub-10-fs pulses using 14 J.Placing the post-compressor near the interaction makes for an economical method to produce the shortest pulses by limiting the need for high damage,broadband optics close to the final target rather than throughout the entire laser transport system.展开更多
Laser-driven neutron sources could offer a promising alternative to those based on conventional accelerator technologies in delivering compact beams of high brightness and short duration.We examine this through partic...Laser-driven neutron sources could offer a promising alternative to those based on conventional accelerator technologies in delivering compact beams of high brightness and short duration.We examine this through particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo simulations that model,respectively,the laser acceleration of protons from thin-foil targets and their subsequent conversion into neutrons in secondary lead targets.Laser parameters relevant to the 0.5 PW LMJ-PETAL and 0.6–6 PW Apollon systems are considered.Owing to its high intensity,the 20-fs-duration 0.6 PW Apollon laser is expected to accelerate protons up to above 100MeV,thereby unlocking efficient neutron generation via spallation reactions.As a result,despite a 30-fold lower pulse energy than the LMJ-PETAL laser,the 0.6 PW Apollon laser should perform comparably well both in terms of neutron yield and flux.Notably,we predict that very compact neutron pulses,of∼10 ps duration and∼100μm spot size,can be released provided the lead convertor target is thin enough(∼100μm).These sources are characterized by extreme fluxes,of the order of 10^(23) n cm^(−2) s^(−1),and even ten times higher when using the 6 PW Apollon laser.Such values surpass those currently achievable at large-scale accelerator-based neutron sources(∼10^(16) n cm^(−2) s^(−1)),or reported from previous laser experiments using low-Z converters(∼10^(18) n cm^(−2) s^(−1)).By showing that such laser systems can produce neutron pulses significantly brighter than existing sources,our findings open a path toward attractive novel applications,such as flash neutron radiography and laboratory studies of heavy-ion nucleosynthesis.展开更多
The second and final year of the Erasmus Plus programme’Innovative Education and Training in high power laser plasmas’,otherwise known as PowerLaPs,is described.The PowerLaPs programme employs an innovative paradigm...The second and final year of the Erasmus Plus programme’Innovative Education and Training in high power laser plasmas’,otherwise known as PowerLaPs,is described.The PowerLaPs programme employs an innovative paradigm in that it is a multi-centre programme,where teaching takes place in five separate institutes with a range of different aims and styles of delivery.The’in-class’time is limited to 4 weeks a year,and the programme spans 2 years.PowerLaPs aims to train students from across Europe in theoretical,applied and laboratory skills relevant to the pursuit of research in laser plasma interaction physics and inertial confinement fusion.Lectures are intermingled with laboratory sessions and continuous assessment activities.The programme,which is led by workers from the Hellenic Mediterranean University and supported by co-workers from the Queen’s University Belfast,the University of Bordeaux,the Czech Technical University in Prague,Ecole Polytechnique,the University of Ioannina,the University of Salamanca and the University of York,has just finished its second and final year.Six Learning Teaching Training activities have been held at the Queen’s University Belfast,the University of Bordeaux,the Czech Technical University,the University of Salamanca and the Institute of Plasma Physics and Lasers of the Hellenic Mediterranean University.The last of these institutes hosted two 2-week-long Intensive Programmes,while the activities at the other four universities were each 5 days in length.In addition,a’Multiplier Event’was held at the University of Ioannina,which will be briefly described.In this second year,the work has concentrated on training in both experimental diagnostics and simulation techniques appropriate to the study of plasma physics,high power laser matter interactions and high energy density physics.The nature of the programme will be described in detail,and some metrics relating to the activities carried out will be presented.In particular,this paper will focus on the overall assessment o展开更多
The design of ellipsoidal plasma mirrors(EPMs)for the PEARL laser facility is presented.The EPMs achieve a magnification of 0.32 in focal spot size,and the corresponding increase in focused intensity is expected to be...The design of ellipsoidal plasma mirrors(EPMs)for the PEARL laser facility is presented.The EPMs achieve a magnification of 0.32 in focal spot size,and the corresponding increase in focused intensity is expected to be about 8.Designing and implementing such focusing optics for short-pulse(<100 fs)systems paves the way for their use in future high-power facilities,where they can be used to achieve intensities beyond 1023W/cm^(2).A retro-imaging-based target alignment system is also described,which is used to align solid targets at the output of the ellispoidal mirrors(with a numerical aperture of 0.75 in this case).展开更多
Laser irradiation of solid targets can drive short and high-charge relativistic electron bunches over micron-scale acceleration gradients.However,for a long time,this technique was not considered a viable means of ele...Laser irradiation of solid targets can drive short and high-charge relativistic electron bunches over micron-scale acceleration gradients.However,for a long time,this technique was not considered a viable means of electron acceleration due to the large intrinsic divergence(∼50°half-angle)of the electrons.Recently,a reduction in this divergence to 10°–20°half-angle has been obtained,using plasma-based magnetic fields or very high contrast laser pulses to extract the electrons into the vacuum.Here we show that we can further improve the electron beam collimation,down to∼1.5°half-angle,of a high-charge(6 nC)beam,and in a highly reproducible manner,while using standard stand-alone 100 TW-class laser pulses.This is obtained by embedding the laser-target interaction in an external,large-scale(cm),homogeneous,extremely stable,and high-strength(20 T)magnetic field that is independent of the laser.With upcoming multi-PW,high repetition-rate lasers,this technique opens the door to achieving even higher charges(>100 nC).展开更多
The Erasmus Plus programme’Innovative Education and Training in high power laser plasmas’,otherwise known as PowerLaPs,is described.The PowerLaPs programme employs an innovative paradigm in that it is a multi-centre...The Erasmus Plus programme’Innovative Education and Training in high power laser plasmas’,otherwise known as PowerLaPs,is described.The PowerLaPs programme employs an innovative paradigm in that it is a multi-centre programme where teaching takes place in five separate institutes with a range of different aims and styles of delivery.The ’in class’ time is limited to four weeks a year,and the programme spans two years.PowerLaPs aims to train students from across Europe in theoretical,applied and laboratory skills relevant to the pursuit of research in laserplasma interaction physics and inertial confinement fusion(ICF).Lectures are intermingled with laboratory sessions and continuous assessment activities.The programme,which is led by workers from the Technological Educational Institute(TEI)of Crete,and supported by co-workers from the Queen’s University Belfast,the University of Bordeaux,the Czech Technical-University in Prague,Ecole Polytechnique,the University of Ioannina,the University of Salamanca and the University of York,has just completed its first year.Thus far three Learning Teaching Training(LTT)activities have been held,at the Queen’s University Belfast,the University of Bordeaux and the Centre for Plasma Physics and Lasers(CPPL)of TEI Crete.The last of these was a two-week long Intensive Programme(IP),while the activities at the other two universities were each five days in length.Thus far work has concentrated upon training in both theoretical and experimental work in plasma physics,high power laser-matter interactions and high energy density physics.The nature of the programme will be described in detail and some metrics relating to the activities carried out to date will be presented.展开更多
The collective interaction between intense ion beams and plasmas is studied by simulations and experiments,where an intense proton beam produced by a short pulse laser is injected into a pre-ionized gas.It is found th...The collective interaction between intense ion beams and plasmas is studied by simulations and experiments,where an intense proton beam produced by a short pulse laser is injected into a pre-ionized gas.It is found that,depending on its current density,collective effects can significantly alter the propagated ion beam and the stopping power.The quantitative agreement that is found between theories and experiments constitutes the first validation of the collective interaction theory.The effects in the interaction between intense ion beams and background gas plasmas are of importance for the design of laser fusion reactors as well as for beam physics.展开更多
We present the results of the first commissioning phase of the short-focal-length area of the Apollon laser facility(located in Saclay,France),which was performed with the first available laser beam(F2),scaled to a no...We present the results of the first commissioning phase of the short-focal-length area of the Apollon laser facility(located in Saclay,France),which was performed with the first available laser beam(F2),scaled to a nominal power of 1 PW.Under the conditions that were tested,this beam delivered on-target pulses of 10 J average energy and 24 fs duration.Several diagnostics were fielded to assess the performance of the facility.The on-target focal spot and its spatial stability,the temporal intensity profile prior to the main pulse,and the resulting density gradient formed at the irradiated side of solid targets have been thoroughly characterized,with the goal of helping users design future experiments.Emissions of energetic electrons,ions,and electromagnetic radiation were recorded,showing good laser-to-target coupling efficiency and an overall performance comparable to that of similar international facilities.This will be followed in 2022 by a further commissioning stage at the multipetawatt level.展开更多
Collisionless shocks are ubiquitous in the Universe and are held responsible for the production of nonthermal particles and high-energy radiation.In the absence of particle collisions in the system,theory shows that t...Collisionless shocks are ubiquitous in the Universe and are held responsible for the production of nonthermal particles and high-energy radiation.In the absence of particle collisions in the system,theory shows that the interaction of an expanding plasma with a pre-existing electromagnetic structure(as in our case)is able to induce energy dissipation and allow shock formation.Shock formation can alternatively take place when two plasmas interact,through microscopic instabilities inducing electromagnetic fields that are able in turn to mediate energy dissipation and shock formation.Using our platform in which we couple a rapidly expanding plasma induced by high-power lasers(JLF/Titan at LLNL and LULI2000)with high-strength magnetic fields,we have investigated the generation of a magnetized collisionless shock and the associated particle energization.We have characterized the shock as being collisionless and supercritical.We report here on measurements of the plasma density and temperature,the electromagnetic field structures,and the particle energization in the experiments,under various conditions of ambient plasma and magnetic field.We have also modeled the formation of the shocks using macroscopic hydrodynamic simulations and the associated particle acceleration using kinetic particle-in-cell simulations.As a companion paper to Yao et al.[Nat.Phys.17,1177–1182(2021)],here we show additional results of the experiments and simulations,providing more information to allow their reproduction and to demonstrate the robustness of our interpretation of the proton energization mechanism as being shock surfing acceleration.展开更多
基金supported by the European Research Council(ERC)under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program(Grant Agreement No.787539)funding from EPRSC(Grant Nos.EP/E035728,EP/C003586,and EP/P010059/1)supported by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(NSERC)and Compute Canada(Job:pve-323-ac,PA).
文摘Realizing the full potential of ultrahigh-intensity lasers for particle and radiation generation will require multi-beam arrangements due to technology limitations.Here,we investigate how to optimize their coupling with solid targets.Experimentally,we show that overlapping two intense lasers in a mirror-like configuration onto a solid with a large preplasma can greatly improve the generation of hot electrons at the target front and ion acceleration at the target backside.The underlying mechanisms are analyzed through multidimensional particle-in-cell simulations,revealing that the self-induced magnetic fields driven by the two laser beams at the target front are susceptible to reconnection,which is one possible mechanism to boost electron energization.In addition,the resistive magnetic field generated during the transport of the hot electrons in the target bulk tends to improve their collimation.Our simulations also indicate that such effects can be further enhanced by overlapping more than two laser beams.
基金This work was supported by the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research,under Nucleus Project LAPLAS VII contract No.30N/2023,ELI RO 2020-12,PCE 104/2022,PED 580/2022We would also like to acknowledge the support from project code PN 2321 sponsored by the Romanian Ministry of Research,Innovation,and Digitalisation by the Nucleus program.Financial support of the ASUR platform was provided by the European Community and LaserLab Europe programs EU-H2020654148 and 871124(projects Nos.CNRS-LP3002460 and CNRS-LP3002589).
文摘With ultrafast laser systems reaching presently 10 PW peak power or operating at high repetition rates,research towards ensuring the long-term,trouble-free performance of all laser-exposed optical components is critical.Our work is focused on providing insight into the optical material behavior at fluences below the standardized laser-induced damage threshold(LIDT)value by implementing a simultaneous dual analysis of surface emitted particles using a Langmuir probe(LP)and the target current(TC).HfO_(2) and ZrO_(2) thin films deposited on fused silica substrates by pulsed laser deposition at various O_(2) pressures for defect and stoichiometry control were irradiated by Gaussian,ultrashort laser pulses(800 nm,10 Hz,70 fs)in a wide range of fluences.Both TC and LP collected signals were in good agreement with the existing theoretical description of laser–matter interaction at an ultrashort time scale.Our approach for an in situ LIDT monitoring system provides measurable signals for below-threshold irradiation conditions that indicate the endurance limit of the optical surfaces in the single-shot energy scanning mode.The LIDT value extracted from the LP-TC system is in line with the multipulse statistical analysis done with ISO 21254-2:2011(E).The implementation of the LP and TC as on-shot diagnostic tools for optical components will have a significant impact on the reliability of next-generation ultrafast and high-power laser systems.
基金funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(DFG)under Grant No.452935060(“Einzelschuss Rontgen-Phasenkonstrast Abbildung von dichten Plasmen,”https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/452935060)supported by Laserlab-Europe with GrantNo.PID20536supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
文摘Single-shot X-ray phase-contrast imaging is used to take high-resolution images of laser-driven strong shock waves.Employing a two-grating Talbot interferometer,we successfully acquire standard absorption,differential phase-contrast,and dark-field images of the shocked target.Good agreement is demonstrated between experimental data and the results of two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics simulations of the laser-plasma interaction.The main sources of image noise are identified through a thorough assessment of the interferometer’s performance.The acquired images demonstrate that grating-based phase-contrast imaging is a powerful diagnostic tool for high-energy-density science.In addition,we make a novel attempt at using the dark-field image as a signal modality of Talbot interferometry to identify the microstructure of a foam target.
基金We acknowledge fruitful discussions with H.P´epin(INRS),V.M´eot,L.Gremillet,X.Davoine(CEA),S.Orlando(INAF),C.Guerrero(Universidad de Sevilla),and Y.Caristan(Universit´e Paris-Saclay).This project received funding from the European Research Council(ERC)under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme(Grant Agreement No.787539),and was partly conducted within the LABEX Plas@Par project and supported by Grant Nos.11-IDEX-0004-02 and an ANR-17-CE30-0026 PiNNaCLE grant from Agence Nationale de la Recherche(France).I.P.acknowledges the support of ISF Grant No.1135/15.The research leading to these results is supported by Extreme Light Infrastructure Nuclear Physics(ELI-NP)Phase I,a project cofinanced by the Romanian Government and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.
文摘With the much-anticipated multi-petawatt(PW)laser facilities that are coming online,neutron sources with extreme fluxes could soon be in reach.Such sources would rely on spallation by protons accelerated by the high-intensity lasers.These high neutron fluxes would make possible not only direct measurements of neutron capture andβ-decay rates related to the r-process of nucleosynthesis of heavy elements,but also such nuclear measurements in a hot plasma environment,which would be beneficial for s-process investigations in astrophysically relevant conditions.This could,in turn,finally allow possible reconciliation of the observed element abundances in stars and those derived from simulations,which at present show large discrepancies.Here,we review a possible pathway to reach unprecedented neutron fluxes using multi-PW lasers,as well as strategies to perform measurements to investigate the r-and s-processes of nucleosynthesis of heavy elements in cold matter,as well as in a hot plasma environment.
基金This work was supported by the Center of Excellence‘Center of Photonics’,Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation(contract No.075-15-2020-906)Project ELI-RO 16/2020 SBUF funded by the Institute for Atomic Physics(IFA)and by the Council for Doctoral Studies(CSUD),University of Bucharest.
文摘The post-compression technique based on self-phase modulation of high-energy pulses leads to an increase in achievable peak power and intensity.Typically,the pulses considered in experiments have been less than 100 fs in duration.Here,the method is applied to the ELFIE laser system at the LULI facility,for a pulse of 7 J energy and an initial measured duration of 350 fs.A 5-mm-thick fused silica window and a 2 mm cyclic-olefin polymer were used as optical nonlinear materials.The 9 cm diameter beam was spectrally broadened to a bandwidth corresponding to 124 fs Fourier-limited pulse duration,and then it was partly post-compressed to 200 fs.After measuring the spatial spectra of the beam fluence,a uniform gain factor of 4 increase in the fluctuations over the studied range of frequencies is observed,due to small-scale self-focusing.
基金X-ray data measurement,modeling and analysis were made by the JIHT RAS team with financial support from the Russian Science Foundation(Project No.17-72-20272)The authors thank the entire staff of the ELFIE laser facility at LULI for their support during the experimental preparation and execution.This work was supported by ANR Blanc Grant No.12-BS09-025-01 SILAMPA and has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program through the European Research Council(ERC,Grant Agreement No.787539)Some work was done within the LABEX Plas@Par project,which is supported by Grant No.11-IDEX-0004-02 from Agence Nationale de la Recherche.The research leading to these results is supported by Extreme Light Infrastructure Nuclear Physics(ELI-NP)Phase I,a project co-financed by the Romanian Government and European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S.Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No.DE-AC52-07NA27344.
文摘Recent achievements in laboratory astrophysics experiments with high-power lasers have allowed progress in our understanding of the early stages of star formation.In particular,we have recently demonstrated the possibility of simulating in the laboratory the process of the accretion of matter on young stars[G.Revet et al.,Sci.Adv.3,e1700982(2017)].The present paper focuses on x-ray spectroscopy methods that allow us to investigate the complex plasma hydrodynamics involved in such experiments.We demonstrate that we can infer the formation of a plasma shell,surrounding the accretion column at the location of impact with the stellar surface,and thus resolve the present discrepancies between mass accretion rates derived from x-ray and optical-radiation astronomical observations originating from the same object.In our experiments,the accretion column ismodeled by having a collimated narrow(1 mm diameter)plasma stream first propagate along the lines of a large-scale external magnetic field and then impact onto an obstacle,mimicking the high-density region of the stellar chromosphere.A combined approach using steady-state and quasi-stationarymodels was successfully applied tomeasure the parameters of the plasma all along its propagation,at the impact site,and in the structure surrounding the impact region.The formation of a hot plasma shell,surrounding the denser and colder core,formed by the incoming stream of matter is observed near the obstacle using x-ray spatially resolved spectroscopy.
基金Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2013CBA01503)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.11103040)
文摘Laser-driven ramp compression was used to investigate iron characteristics along the isentropic path. The iterative Lagrangian analysis method was employed to analyze the free surface velocity profiles in iron stepped target measured with two VISARs. The onset stress for the α to ε phase transformation was determined from the sudden change in the sound velocity and was found over-pressurized compared to the static and shock results. The derived stress（26 GPa） and strain rate（up to 10-8 s^-1） are consistent with our previous experimental results. The stress-density relations were compared with those from previous ramp experiments and good agreements were found, which experimentally confirms the simulations,showing that iterative Lagrangian analysis can be applied to the ramp-compression data with weak shock.
基金supported by the Scientific Council of the Observatoire de Parisby COST(European COoperation in Science and Technology),action MP1208,with a Short-Term Scientific Mission
文摘In this paper, we present a model characterizing the interaction of a radiative shock(RS) with a solid material, as described in a recent paper(Koenig et al., Phys. Plasmas, 24, 082707(2017)), the new model is then related to recent experiments performed on the GEKKO XII laser facility. The RS generated in a xenon gas cell propagates towards a solid obstacle that is ablated by radiation coming from the shock front and the radiative precursor, mimicking processes occurring in astrophysical phenomena. The model presented here calculates the dynamics of the obstacle expansion,which depends on several parameters, notably the geometry and the temperature of the shock. All parameters required for the model have been obtained from experiments. Good agreement between experimental data and the model is found when spherical geometry is taken into account. As a consequence, this model is a useful and easy tool to infer parameters from experimental data(such as the shock temperature), and also to design future experiments.
基金supported by the‘Programme National de Physique Stellaire’(PNPS)of CNRS/INSU,Francesupported by ANR Blanc grant No.12-BS09-025-01 SILAMPALABEX Plas@Par grant No.11-IDEX-0004-02 from theFrench agency ANR
文摘A new target design is presented to model high-energy radiative accretion shocks in polars. In this paper, we present the experimental results obtained on the GEKKO XII laser facility for the POLAR project. The experimental results are compared with 2 D FCI2 simulations to characterize the dynamics and the structure of plasma flow before and after the collision. The good agreement between simulations and experimental data confirms the formation of a reverse shock where cooling losses start modifying the post-shock region. With the multi-material structure of the target,a hydrodynamic collimation is exhibited and a radiative structure coupled with the reverse shock is highlighted in both experimental data and simulations. The flexibility of the laser energy produced on GEKKO XII allowed us to produce high-velocity flows and study new and interesting radiation hydrodynamic regimes between those obtained on the LULI2000 and Orion laser facilities.
基金the support of RFBR grant 14-29-06099Competitiveness Programme of NRNU MEPhI
文摘We have developed a new radiography setup with a short-pulse laser-driven x-ray source. Using a radiography axis perpendicular to both long- and short-pulse lasers allowed optimizing the incident angle of the short-pulse laser on the x-ray source target. The setup has been tested with various x-ray source target materials and different laser wavelengths.Signal to noise ratios are presented as well as achieved spatial resolutions. The high quality of our technique is illustrated on a plasma flow radiograph obtained during a laboratory astrophysics experiment on POLARs.
基金the support of Investissements d’Avenir of LabEx PALM(Grant No.ANR-10-LABX-0039-PALM)the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation(Agreement with Joint Institute for High Temperatures RAS No.075-15-2020-785)G.G.acknowledges support from the UK EPSRC(Grant Nos.EP/M022331/1 and EP/N014472/1)。
文摘The interaction between a molecular cloud and an external agent(e.g.,a supernova remnant,plasma jet,radiation,or another cloud)is a common phenomenon throughout the Universe and can significantly change the star formation rate within a galaxy.This process leads to fragmentation of the cloud and to its subsequent compression and can,eventually,initiate the gravitational collapse of a stable molecular cloud.It is,however,difficult to study such systems in detail using conventional techniques(numerical simulations and astronomical observations),since complex interactions of flows occur.In this paper,we experimentally investigate the compression of a foam ball by Taylor–Sedov blast waves,as an analog of supernova remnants interacting with a molecular cloud.The formation of a compression wave is observed in the foam ball,indicating the importance of such experiments for understanding how star formation is triggered by external agents.
基金the support in this work provided through the project SBUF (ELI-RO 16/2020)
文摘Spectral-broadening of the APOLLON PW-class laser pulses using a thin-film compression technique within the longfocal-area interaction chamber of the APOLLON laser facility is reported,demonstrating the delivery of the full energy pulse to the target interaction area.The laser pulse at 7 J passing through large aperture,thin glass wafers is spectrally broadened to a bandwidth that is compatible with a 15-fs pulse,indicating also the possibility to achieve sub-10-fs pulses using 14 J.Placing the post-compressor near the interaction makes for an economical method to produce the shortest pulses by limiting the need for high damage,broadband optics close to the final target rather than throughout the entire laser transport system.
基金This work was supported by the European Research Council(ERC)under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program(Grant Agreement No.787539)It was also supported by Grant No.ANR-17-CE30-0026-Pinnacle from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche+6 种基金We acknowledge GENCI,France,for granting us access to HPC resources at TGCC/CCRT(Allocation No.A0010506129)S.N.C.acknowledges support from the Extreme Light Infrastructure Nuclear Physics(ELI-NP)Phase II,a project co-financed by the Romanian Government and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund-the Competitiveness Operational Programme(1/07 July 2016,COP,ID 1334)by the project ELI-RO-2020-23 funded by IFA(Romania)The PETAL laser was designed and constructed by CEA under the financial auspices of the Conseil Régional d’Aquitaine,the French Ministry of Research,and the European UnionThe CRACC diagnostic was designed and commissioned on the LMJ-PETAL facility as a result of the PETAL+project coordinated by University of Bordeaux and funded by the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche under Grant No.ANR-10-EQPX-42-01The LMJ-PETAL experiment presented in this article was supported by the Association Lasers et Plasmas and by CEAThe diagnostics used in the experiment have been realized in the framework of the EquipEx PETAL+via Contract No.ANR-10-EQPX-0048.
文摘Laser-driven neutron sources could offer a promising alternative to those based on conventional accelerator technologies in delivering compact beams of high brightness and short duration.We examine this through particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo simulations that model,respectively,the laser acceleration of protons from thin-foil targets and their subsequent conversion into neutrons in secondary lead targets.Laser parameters relevant to the 0.5 PW LMJ-PETAL and 0.6–6 PW Apollon systems are considered.Owing to its high intensity,the 20-fs-duration 0.6 PW Apollon laser is expected to accelerate protons up to above 100MeV,thereby unlocking efficient neutron generation via spallation reactions.As a result,despite a 30-fold lower pulse energy than the LMJ-PETAL laser,the 0.6 PW Apollon laser should perform comparably well both in terms of neutron yield and flux.Notably,we predict that very compact neutron pulses,of∼10 ps duration and∼100μm spot size,can be released provided the lead convertor target is thin enough(∼100μm).These sources are characterized by extreme fluxes,of the order of 10^(23) n cm^(−2) s^(−1),and even ten times higher when using the 6 PW Apollon laser.Such values surpass those currently achievable at large-scale accelerator-based neutron sources(∼10^(16) n cm^(−2) s^(−1)),or reported from previous laser experiments using low-Z converters(∼10^(18) n cm^(−2) s^(−1)).By showing that such laser systems can produce neutron pulses significantly brighter than existing sources,our findings open a path toward attractive novel applications,such as flash neutron radiography and laboratory studies of heavy-ion nucleosynthesis.
基金the financial support of the Erasmus Plus and the IKY/Erasmus+Hellenic National Agencythe support of the administrative teams of the universities involved in PowerLaPs+3 种基金support by computational time granted from the Greek Research and Technology Network(GRNET)in the National HPC facility ARIS under project ID pr007020 LaMIPlaS-IIsupport by‘ELILASERLAB Europe Synergy,HiPER and IPERION-CH.gr’(MIS 5002735),which is implemented under the Action‘Reinforcement of the Research and Innovation Infrastructure’funded by the Operational Programme‘Competitiveness,Entrepreneurship and Innovation’(NSRF 2014-2020)co-financed by Greece and the European Union(European Regional Development Fund)。
文摘The second and final year of the Erasmus Plus programme’Innovative Education and Training in high power laser plasmas’,otherwise known as PowerLaPs,is described.The PowerLaPs programme employs an innovative paradigm in that it is a multi-centre programme,where teaching takes place in five separate institutes with a range of different aims and styles of delivery.The’in-class’time is limited to 4 weeks a year,and the programme spans 2 years.PowerLaPs aims to train students from across Europe in theoretical,applied and laboratory skills relevant to the pursuit of research in laser plasma interaction physics and inertial confinement fusion.Lectures are intermingled with laboratory sessions and continuous assessment activities.The programme,which is led by workers from the Hellenic Mediterranean University and supported by co-workers from the Queen’s University Belfast,the University of Bordeaux,the Czech Technical University in Prague,Ecole Polytechnique,the University of Ioannina,the University of Salamanca and the University of York,has just finished its second and final year.Six Learning Teaching Training activities have been held at the Queen’s University Belfast,the University of Bordeaux,the Czech Technical University,the University of Salamanca and the Institute of Plasma Physics and Lasers of the Hellenic Mediterranean University.The last of these institutes hosted two 2-week-long Intensive Programmes,while the activities at the other four universities were each 5 days in length.In addition,a’Multiplier Event’was held at the University of Ioannina,which will be briefly described.In this second year,the work has concentrated on training in both experimental diagnostics and simulation techniques appropriate to the study of plasma physics,high power laser matter interactions and high energy density physics.The nature of the programme will be described in detail,and some metrics relating to the activities carried out will be presented.In particular,this paper will focus on the overall assessment o
基金The results of Project LQ1606 were obtained with the financial support of the Ministry of Education,Youths and Sports as part of targeted support from the National Programme of Sustainability II.This research was also sponsored by the Czech Science Foundation(Project No.18-09560S)by the project High Field Initiative(CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/15_003/0000449)from the European Regional Development Fund(HIFI),by the project on Advanced Research Using High Intensity Laser Produced Photons and Particles(No.CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16019/0000789)from the European Regional Development Fund(ADONIS)+1 种基金by theMinistry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation under Contract No.14.Z50.31.0007.The work was also supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation(FTP Grant#14.607.21.0196,Project ID:RFMEFI60717X0196)The work of JIHT RAS team on X-ray measurements and analysis was done with financial support fromthe Russian Science Foundation(Grant#14-50-00124).
文摘The design of ellipsoidal plasma mirrors(EPMs)for the PEARL laser facility is presented.The EPMs achieve a magnification of 0.32 in focal spot size,and the corresponding increase in focused intensity is expected to be about 8.Designing and implementing such focusing optics for short-pulse(<100 fs)systems paves the way for their use in future high-power facilities,where they can be used to achieve intensities beyond 1023W/cm^(2).A retro-imaging-based target alignment system is also described,which is used to align solid targets at the output of the ellispoidal mirrors(with a numerical aperture of 0.75 in this case).
基金supported by Grant Nos.11-IDEX-0004-02 and ANR-17-CE30-0026-Pinnacle from Agence Nationale de la Recherchethe European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No.654148 Laserlab-Europe+3 种基金the European Research Council(ERC)under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program(Grant Agreement No.787539)This work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation under Contract No.14.Z50.31.0007The work of JIHT RAS team was done under financial support of the Russian Science Foundation(Grant No.17-72-20272)The research leading to these results is supported by Extreme Light Infrastructure Nuclear Physics(ELI-NP)Phase I,a project co-financed by the Romanian Government and European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.
文摘Laser irradiation of solid targets can drive short and high-charge relativistic electron bunches over micron-scale acceleration gradients.However,for a long time,this technique was not considered a viable means of electron acceleration due to the large intrinsic divergence(∼50°half-angle)of the electrons.Recently,a reduction in this divergence to 10°–20°half-angle has been obtained,using plasma-based magnetic fields or very high contrast laser pulses to extract the electrons into the vacuum.Here we show that we can further improve the electron beam collimation,down to∼1.5°half-angle,of a high-charge(6 nC)beam,and in a highly reproducible manner,while using standard stand-alone 100 TW-class laser pulses.This is obtained by embedding the laser-target interaction in an external,large-scale(cm),homogeneous,extremely stable,and high-strength(20 T)magnetic field that is independent of the laser.With upcoming multi-PW,high repetition-rate lasers,this technique opens the door to achieving even higher charges(>100 nC).
基金financial support of the Erasmus Plus scheme and the IKY/Erasmus+Hellenic National Agency
文摘The Erasmus Plus programme’Innovative Education and Training in high power laser plasmas’,otherwise known as PowerLaPs,is described.The PowerLaPs programme employs an innovative paradigm in that it is a multi-centre programme where teaching takes place in five separate institutes with a range of different aims and styles of delivery.The ’in class’ time is limited to four weeks a year,and the programme spans two years.PowerLaPs aims to train students from across Europe in theoretical,applied and laboratory skills relevant to the pursuit of research in laserplasma interaction physics and inertial confinement fusion(ICF).Lectures are intermingled with laboratory sessions and continuous assessment activities.The programme,which is led by workers from the Technological Educational Institute(TEI)of Crete,and supported by co-workers from the Queen’s University Belfast,the University of Bordeaux,the Czech Technical-University in Prague,Ecole Polytechnique,the University of Ioannina,the University of Salamanca and the University of York,has just completed its first year.Thus far three Learning Teaching Training(LTT)activities have been held,at the Queen’s University Belfast,the University of Bordeaux and the Centre for Plasma Physics and Lasers(CPPL)of TEI Crete.The last of these was a two-week long Intensive Programme(IP),while the activities at the other two universities were each five days in length.Thus far work has concentrated upon training in both theoretical and experimental work in plasma physics,high power laser-matter interactions and high energy density physics.The nature of the programme will be described in detail and some metrics relating to the activities carried out to date will be presented.
基金We acknowledge the support of the LULI technical teams and support from Grant No.E1127 from Region Ile-de-France.S.N.C is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No.OISE-1064468This work was partly done within the LABEX Plas@Par project and supported by Grant No.11-IDEX-0004-02 and ANR-17-CE30-0026-Pinnacle from Agence Nationale de la Recherche+2 种基金It has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under LASERLAB-EUROPE grant agreement No.654148 Laserlab-EuropeThis work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding,through the ToIFE,from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No.633053The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission.This work was also supported in part by JSPS KAKENHI Grant No.15H03758.
文摘The collective interaction between intense ion beams and plasmas is studied by simulations and experiments,where an intense proton beam produced by a short pulse laser is injected into a pre-ionized gas.It is found that,depending on its current density,collective effects can significantly alter the propagated ion beam and the stopping power.The quantitative agreement that is found between theories and experiments constitutes the first validation of the collective interaction theory.The effects in the interaction between intense ion beams and background gas plasmas are of importance for the design of laser fusion reactors as well as for beam physics.
基金The authors acknowledge the facility and the technical assistance of the national research infrastructureApollon.The authorswould also like to thank all teams of the laboratories that contributed to the success of the facility,i.e.,all of theCILEXconsortium,whichwas established to buildApollon.Thisworkwas supported by funding fromthe European Research Council(ERC)under the European Unions Horizon 2020 research and innovation program(Grant Agreement No.787539,Project GENESIS),and by Grant No.ANR-17-CE30-0026-Pinnacle from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche.We acknowledge,in the framework of ProjectGENESIS,the support provided by Extreme Light InfrastructureNuclear Physics(ELI-NP)Phase II,a project co-financed by the Romanian Government and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund,and by the Project No.ELI-RO-2020-23,funded by IFA(Romania)to design,build,and test the neutron detectors used in this project,as well as parts of the OTR diagnostic.JIHT RAS team members are supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation(State Assignment No.075-00460-21-00)The study reported here was also funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research,Project No.20-02-00790.The work of the ENEA team members has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusionConsortiumand has received funding from the Euratom research and training program 2014–2018 and 2019-2020 under grant agreement No.633053.
文摘We present the results of the first commissioning phase of the short-focal-length area of the Apollon laser facility(located in Saclay,France),which was performed with the first available laser beam(F2),scaled to a nominal power of 1 PW.Under the conditions that were tested,this beam delivered on-target pulses of 10 J average energy and 24 fs duration.Several diagnostics were fielded to assess the performance of the facility.The on-target focal spot and its spatial stability,the temporal intensity profile prior to the main pulse,and the resulting density gradient formed at the irradiated side of solid targets have been thoroughly characterized,with the goal of helping users design future experiments.Emissions of energetic electrons,ions,and electromagnetic radiation were recorded,showing good laser-to-target coupling efficiency and an overall performance comparable to that of similar international facilities.This will be followed in 2022 by a further commissioning stage at the multipetawatt level.
基金supported by funding from the European Research Council(ERC)under the European Unions Horizon 2020 research and innovation program(Grant Agreement No.787539)The computational resources of this work were supported by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(NSERC)and Compute Canada(Job Grant No.pve-323-ac)+4 种基金Part of the experimental system is covered by a patent(No.1000183285,2013,INPI-France)The FLASH software used was developed,in part,by the DOE NNSA ASC-and the DOE Office of Science ASCR-supported Flash Center for Computational Science at the University of ChicagoWe thank J.L.Dubois for providing us EOS and opacities.The research leading to these results is supported by Extreme Light Infrastructure Nuclear Physics(ELI-NP)Phase II,a project co-financed by the Romanian Government and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund,and by the Project No.ELIRO-2020-23 funded by IFA(Romania)IHT RAS team members are supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation(State Assignment No.075-00460-21-00)The study reported here was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research,Project No.19-32-60008.
文摘Collisionless shocks are ubiquitous in the Universe and are held responsible for the production of nonthermal particles and high-energy radiation.In the absence of particle collisions in the system,theory shows that the interaction of an expanding plasma with a pre-existing electromagnetic structure(as in our case)is able to induce energy dissipation and allow shock formation.Shock formation can alternatively take place when two plasmas interact,through microscopic instabilities inducing electromagnetic fields that are able in turn to mediate energy dissipation and shock formation.Using our platform in which we couple a rapidly expanding plasma induced by high-power lasers(JLF/Titan at LLNL and LULI2000)with high-strength magnetic fields,we have investigated the generation of a magnetized collisionless shock and the associated particle energization.We have characterized the shock as being collisionless and supercritical.We report here on measurements of the plasma density and temperature,the electromagnetic field structures,and the particle energization in the experiments,under various conditions of ambient plasma and magnetic field.We have also modeled the formation of the shocks using macroscopic hydrodynamic simulations and the associated particle acceleration using kinetic particle-in-cell simulations.As a companion paper to Yao et al.[Nat.Phys.17,1177–1182(2021)],here we show additional results of the experiments and simulations,providing more information to allow their reproduction and to demonstrate the robustness of our interpretation of the proton energization mechanism as being shock surfing acceleration.
