Laser generated plasmas are employed on a wide range of physical investigations, going from matter science and nuclear physics to astrophysical studies, including laser deposition, ion acceleration and shock waves formation. We describe hereby a new experimental apparatus designed at the LNS-INFN, and installed at the DMFCI of Catania, where a Quanta System ND:Yag laser 600mJ Energy, 1064nm wavelength, 6ns pulse length operates and where the first experiments have been carried out. The new apparatus aims to the investigation of laser generated plasmas produced at different energies from several types of solid targets. These plasmas expand supersonically in vacuum, but additional investigations at intermediate pressures in presence of background gases have been performed. Our studies are mostly devoted to nuclear and astrophysical issues like shock wave production, Rayleigh Taylor instability and screening factor in nuclear fusion reactions. Preliminary results with aluminium thick targets will be reported in the following. Plasma dynamics have been investigated by means of a Faraday Cup and of a movable Langmuir Probe, through time of flight measurements performed at different distances from the laser-target interaction area. The imaging of the expansion dynamics have been obtained with a time gateable CCD camera.

Studies of astrophysical plasmas in laboratory by laser ablation

MUSUMECI, Francesco;GRASSO, ROSARIA;SCORDINO, Agata;
2010-01-01

Abstract

Laser generated plasmas are employed on a wide range of physical investigations, going from matter science and nuclear physics to astrophysical studies, including laser deposition, ion acceleration and shock waves formation. We describe hereby a new experimental apparatus designed at the LNS-INFN, and installed at the DMFCI of Catania, where a Quanta System ND:Yag laser 600mJ Energy, 1064nm wavelength, 6ns pulse length operates and where the first experiments have been carried out. The new apparatus aims to the investigation of laser generated plasmas produced at different energies from several types of solid targets. These plasmas expand supersonically in vacuum, but additional investigations at intermediate pressures in presence of background gases have been performed. Our studies are mostly devoted to nuclear and astrophysical issues like shock wave production, Rayleigh Taylor instability and screening factor in nuclear fusion reactions. Preliminary results with aluminium thick targets will be reported in the following. Plasma dynamics have been investigated by means of a Faraday Cup and of a movable Langmuir Probe, through time of flight measurements performed at different distances from the laser-target interaction area. The imaging of the expansion dynamics have been obtained with a time gateable CCD camera.
2010
ASTROPHYSICAL PLASMAS; LASER ; LASER ABLATION
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/52983
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