We report new experimental results obtained on three different laser facilities that show directed laser-driven relativistic electron-positron jets with up to 30 times larger yields than previously obtained and a quadratic (~ E L 2 ) dependence of the positron yield on the laser energy. This favorable scaling stems from a combination of higher energy electrons due to increased laser intensity and the recirculation of MeV electrons in the mm-thick target. Based on this scaling, first principles simulations predict the possibility of using such electron-positron jets, produced at upcoming high-energy laser facilities, to probe the physics of relativistic collisionless shocks in the laboratory.

The viability of fast-ignition (FI) inertial confinement fusion hinges on the efficient transfer of laser energy to the compressed fuel via multi-MeV electrons. Preformed plasma due to the laser prepulse strongly influences ultraintense laser plasma interactions and hot electron generation in the hollow cone of an FI target. We induced a prepulse and consequent preplasma in copper cone targets and measured the energy deposition zone of the main pulse by imaging the emitted K radiation. Simulation of the radiation hydrodynamics of the preplasma and particle in cell modeling of the main pulse interaction agree well with the measured deposition zones and provide an insight into the energy deposition mechanism and electron distribution. It was demonstrated that a under these conditions a 100 mJ prepulse eliminates the forward going component of $2-4 MeV electrons. Cone-guided fast-ignition inertial confinement fusion (FI) depends on the efficient transfer of laser energy to a forward directed beam of $2 MeV electrons at the tip of a hollow cone embedded in the side of an inertialconfinement fusion fuel capsule [1]. This scheme is particularly susceptible to laser prepulse [2,3] as the cone wall confines the expanding preformed plasma [4,5] increasing both density scale lengths and laser beam filamentation [6].The igniter laser pulse requirements for fast ignition depend on the conversion efficiency from laser energy to hot electrons [7], the electron energy spectrum [8], the electron transport efficiency to the ignition hot spot [9,10], and the electron energy deposition efficiency in the hot spot [10]. The required laser energy has been estimated at approximately 100 kJ in a 20 ps pulse [1,11]. Since the ignition hot spot diameter is $40 m, the cone tip must be similar in diameter and the laser intensity $4 Â 10 20 W=cm 2 . Existing petawatt class laser systems deliver up to 1 kJ with typical energy contrast $1 Â 10 À5 and with nonlinear devices this ratio can be improved by a further order of magnitude [12]. Contrast due to amplified superfluorescence and spontaneous emission is independent of the final laser energy; hence, for an ignition pulse of 100 kJ the prepulse energy on target could range from 100 mJ to 1 J. Recent work by Baton et al. [5] has shown that some amount of prepulse can strongly affect coupling to cones; however, a detailed understanding of this limit has not been reported.In this Letter we report recent studies of laser interactions with hollow cone targets comparing simulations and experiments in conditions approaching full fast ignition (FI) using prepulse up to 100 mJ with main pulse irradiance $10 20 W cm À2 for picosecond durations. These parameters were accessible using the Titan laser at LLNL, which delivers ð150 AE 10Þ J in ð0:7 þ = À 0:2Þ ps at 1 m with $10% of the energy deposited above an intensity of $10 20 W cm À2 at best focus, as described in [13].We compare coupling for two well-characterized prepulse conditions: (1) an intrinsic Titan laser prepulse with ð7:5 AE 3Þ mJ in 1.7 n...

Abstract.A Bremsstrahlung spectrometer using k-edge and differential filtering has been used with Image Plate dosimeters to measure the x-ray fluence from short-pulse laser/target interactions. An electron spectrometer in front of the Bremsstrahlung spectrometer deflects electrons from the x-ray line of sight and simultaneously measures the electron spectrum. The response functions were modeled with the Monte Carlo code Integrated Tiger Series 3.0 and the dosimeters calibrated with radioactive sources. Electron distributions with slope temperatures in the MeV range are inferred from the Bremsstrahlung spectra.

The effect of increasing prepulse energy levels on the energy spectrum and coupling into forward-going electrons is evaluated in a cone-guided fast-ignition relevant geometry using cone-wire targets irradiated with a high intensity (10(20) W/cm(2)) laser pulse. Hot electron temperature and flux are inferred from Kα images and yields using hybrid particle-in-cell simulations. A two-temperature distribution of hot electrons was required to fit the full profile, with the ratio of energy in a higher energy (MeV) component increasing with a larger prepulse. As prepulse energies were increased from 8 mJ to 1 J, overall coupling from laser to all hot electrons entering the wire was found to fall from 8.4% to 2.5% while coupling into only the 1-3 MeV electrons dropped from 0.57% to 0.03%.

Bremsstrahlung and K alpha fluorescence measurements for inferring conversion efficiencies into fast ignition relevant hot electrons Citation Chen, C. D. et al. "Bremsstrahlung and K alpha fluorescence measurements for inferring conversion efficiencies into fast ignition relevant hot electrons."

We present numerical simulations of the energy spectrum of electrons escaping from a target struck by an ultra-intense laser pulse using 2D implicit hybrid particle in cell code LSP (large scale plasma) [D. R. Welch et al., Phys. Plasmas 13, 063105 (2006)] and simple 1D capacitor model. The simulated energy spectrum as recorded by an electron spectrometer is found to differ significantly from the spectrum computed within the target. Analysis of the LSP simulations suggests two major mechanisms are responsible for this phenomenon: (1) The emitted electron energy spectrum is heavily influenced by the self-consistent electric fields generated along the target surface as the electrons escape and (2) these fields are themselves substantially modified by the simultaneous departure of accelerated surface ions. For electrons with internal energy greater than 4 MeV, both models predict a good correlation between the slope temperature of the input electron spectrum and that measured in a vacuum. We discuss the application of the inversion problem of obtaining internal electron energy distributions from experimental data.

Collisionless shock acceleration of protons and C 6+ ions has been achieved by the interaction of a 10 20 W/cm 2 , 1 µm laser with a near-critical density plasma. Ablation of the initially solid density target by a secondary laser allowed for systematic control of the plasma profile. This enabled the production of beams with peaked spectra with energies of 10-18 MeV/a.m.u. and energy spreads of 10-20% with up to 3x10 9 particles within these narrow spectral features. The narrow energy spread and similar velocity of ion species with different charge-to-mass ratio are consistent with acceleration by the moving potential of a shock wave. Particle-in-cell simulations show shock accelerated beams of protons and C 6+ ions with energy distributions consistent with the experiments. Simulations further indicate the plasma profile determines the trade-off between the beam charge and energy and that with additional target optimization narrow energy spread beams exceeding 100 MeV/a.m.u. can be produced using the same laser conditions.

Experimental results from copper cones irradiated with ultra-intense laser light are presented. Spatial images and total yields of Cu K α fluorescence were measured as a function of the laser focusing properties. The fluorescence emission extends into the cone approximately 300 µm from the cone tip and cannot be explained by ray tracing including cone wall absorption. In addition the total fluorescence yield from cones is an order of magnitude higher than for equivalent mass foil targets.Indications are that the physics of the laser cone interaction is dominated by preplasma created from the long duration, low energy pre-pulse from the laser.2