Generation of high pressure shocks relevant to the shock-ignition intensity regime

D. Batani , L. Antonelli , S. Atzeni , J. Badziak , F. Baffigi , T. Chodukowski , F. Consoli , G. Cristoforetti , R. De Angelis , R. Dudzak , G. Folpini , L. Giuffrida , L. A. Gizzi , Z. Kalinowska , P. Koester , E. Krousky , M. Krus , L. Labate , T. Levato , Y. Maheut , G. Malka , D. Margarone , A. Marocchino , J. Nejdl , Ph. Nicolai , T. O'Dell , T. Pisarczyk , O. Renner , Y. J. Rhee , X. Ribeyre , M. Richetta , M. Rosinski , M. Sawicka , A. Schiavi , J. Skala , M. Smid , Ch. Spindloe , J. Ullschmied , A. Velyhan , and T. Vinci

Physics of Plasmas 21, 032710 (2014)

Abstract

An experiment was performed using the PALS laser to study laser-target coupling and laser-plasma interaction in an intensity regime <= 10(16) W/cm(2), relevant for the "shock ignition" approach to Inertial Confinement Fusion. A first beam at low intensity was used to create an extended preformed plasma, and a second one to create a strong shock. Pressures up to 90 Megabars were inferred. Our results show the importance of the details of energy transport in the overdense region.