Micro-optics for ultra-intense lasers

Table-top, femtosecond lasers provide the highest light intensities capable of extreme excitation of matter. A key challenge, however, is the efficient coupling of light to matter, a goal addressed by target structuring and laser pulse-shaping. Nanostructured surfaces enhance coupling but require “h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:AIP advances 2021-03, Vol.11 (3), p.035214-035214-7
Main Authors: Habara, H., Lad, Amit D., Nagami, R., Singh, Prashant Kumar, Chatterjee, Gourab, Adak, Amitava, Dalui, Malay, Jha, J., Brijesh, P., Mishima, Y., Nagai, K., Sakagami, H., Tata, Sheroy, Trivikram, T. Madhu, Krishnamurthy, M., Tanaka, K. A., Kumar, G. Ravindra
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Coupling
Electron density
Femtosecond pulsed lasers
Hot electrons
Laser fusion
Lasers
Luminous intensity
Micro-optics
Ultrahigh intensity lasers
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Summary:Table-top, femtosecond lasers provide the highest light intensities capable of extreme excitation of matter. A key challenge, however, is the efficient coupling of light to matter, a goal addressed by target structuring and laser pulse-shaping. Nanostructured surfaces enhance coupling but require “high contrast” (e.g., for modern ultrahigh intensity lasers, the peak to picosecond pedestal intensity ratio >1012) pulses to preserve target integrity. Here, we demonstrate a foam target that can efficiently absorb a common, low contrast 105 (in picosecond) laser at an intensity of 5 × 1018 W/cm2, giving ∼20 times enhanced relativistic hot electron flux. In addition, such foam target induced “micro-optic” function is analogous to the miniature plasma-parabolic mirror. The simplicity of the target—basically a structure with voids having a diameter of the order of a light wavelength—and the efficacy of these micro-sized voids under low contrast illumination can boost the scope of high intensity lasers for basic science and for table-top sources of high energy particles and ignition of laser fusion targets.
ISSN:2158-3226
2158-3226
DOI:10.1063/5.0038023