Generation of spontaneous magnetic fields (SMFs) is one of the most interesting phenomena accompanying an intense laser–matter interaction. One method of credible SMFs measurements is based on the magneto-optical Faraday effect, which requires simultaneous measurements of an angle of polarization plane rotation of a probe wave and plasma electron density. In classical polaro-interferometry, these values are provided independently by polarimetric and interferometric images. Complex interferometry is an innovative approach in SMF measurement, obtaining information on SMF directly from a phase–amplitude analysis of an image called a complex interferogram. Although the theoretical basis of complex interferometry has been well known for many years, this approach has not been effectively employed in laser plasma research until recently; this approach has been successfully implemented in SMF measurement at the Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS). In this paper, proprietary construction solutions of polaro-interferometers are presented; they allow us to register high-quality complex interferograms in practical experiments, which undergo quantitative analysis (with an original software) to obtain information on the electron density and SMFs distributions in an examined plasma. The theoretical foundations of polaro-interferometric measurement, in particular, complex-interferometry, are presented. The main part of the paper details the methodology of the amplitude–phase analysis of complex interferograms. This includes software testing and examples of the electron density and SMF distribution of a laser ablative plasma generated by irradiating Cu thick planar targets with an iodine PALS laser at an intensity above about 1016 W/cm2.

Laser plasma created by intense light interaction with matter plays an important role in high-energy density fundamental studies and many prospective applications. Terawatt laser-produced plasma related to the low collisional and relativistic domain may form supersonic flows and is prone to the generation of strong spontaneous magnetic fields. The comprehensive experimental study presented in this work provides a reference point for the theoretical description of laser-plasma interaction, focusing on the hot electron generation. It experimentally quantifies the phenomenon of hot electron retention, which serves as a boundary condition for most plasma expansion models. Hot electrons, being responsible for nonlocal thermal and electric conductivities, are important for a large variety of processes in such plasmas. The multiple-frame complex-interferometric data providing information on time resolved spontaneous magnetic fields and electron density distribution, complemented by particle spectra and x-ray measurements, were obtained under irradiation of the planar massive Cu and plastic-coated targets by the iodine laser pulse with an intensity of above 1016 W cm−2. The data shows that the hot electron emission from the interaction region outside the target is strongly suppressed, while the electron flow inside the target, i.e. in the direction of the incident laser beam, is a dominant process and contains almost the whole hot electron population. The obtained quantitative characterization of this phenomenon is of primary importance for plasma applications spanning from ICF to laser-driven discharge magnetic field generators.

This paper describes design, development, and implementation of a multi-channel magnetic electron spectrometer for the application in laser–plasma interaction experiments carried out at the Prague Asterix Laser System. Modular design of the spectrometer allows the setup in variable configurations to evaluate the angular distribution of hot electron emission. The angular array configuration of the electron spectrometers consists of 16 channels mounted around the target. The modules incorporate a plastic electron collimator designed to suppress the secondary radiation by absorbing the wide angle scattered electrons and photons inside the collimator. The compact model of the spectrometer measures electron energies in the range from 50 keV to 1.5MeV using ferrite magnets and from 250 keV to 5MeV using stronger neodymium magnets. An extended model of the spectrometer increases the measured energy range up to 21MeV or 35MeV using ferrite or neodymium magnets, respectively. Position to energy calibration was obtained using the particle tracking simulations. The experimental results show the measured angularly resolved electron energy distribution functions from interaction with solid targets. The angular distribution of hot electron temperature, the total flux, and the maximum electron energy show a directional dependence. The measured values of these quantities increase toward the target normal. For a copper target, the average amount of measured electron flux is 1.36 × 1011, which corresponds to the total charge of about 21 nC.

Optical generation of compact magnetized plasma structures is studied in the moderate intensity domain. A sub-ns laser beam irradiated snail-shaped targets with the intensity of about 1016 W/cm2. With a neat optical diagnostics, a sub-megagauss magnetized plasmoid is traced inside the target. On the observed hydrodynamic time scale, the hot plasma formation achieves a theta-pinch-like density and magnetic field distribution, which implodes into the target interior. This simple and elegant plasma magnetization scheme in the moderate-intensity domain is of particular interest for fundamental astrophysical-related studies and for development of future technologies.

Recently developed three-frame complex-interferometry system driven by a Ti:Sa laser with 40 fs pulse has been installed at the PALS (Prague Asterix Laser System) laser facility. This unique diagnostic allows for the first time to perform simultaneous measurements of B-field in the coil region of the capacitor-coil targets (CCT) and the self-generated B-field (SMF) of the diode plasma in between the CCT-plates. CCT were irradiated by the PALS iodine laser (λ = 1315 nm) with energy in the range 250–500 J and pulse duration of 350 ps at full width at half maximum. The operation of this diagnostic system and methodologies for quantitative data analysis are presented in this study, including: (i) obtaining information about the induction of the magnetic field in the CCT coil based on measurements of the Faraday effect in the TGG (Terbium Gallium Garnet) paramagnetic crystal at the coil vicinity and (ii) determining magnetic field and current density distributions in the capacitor region of the CCT by analysis of the complex interferograms. The preliminary measurements confirmed the high potential of the reported setup for optimization studies of CCT targets.

The interaction of supersonic laser-generated plasma jets with a secondary gas target was studied experimentally. The plasma parameters of the jet, and the resulting shock, were characterized using a combination of multi-frame interferometry/shadowgraphy, and x-ray diagnostics, allowing for a detailed study of their structure and evolution. The velocity was obtained with an x-ray streak camera, and filtered x-ray pinhole imaging was used to infer the electron temperature of the jet and shock. The topology of the ambient plasma density was found to have a significant effect on the jet and shock formation, as well as on their radiation characteristics. The experimental results were compared with radiation hydrodynamic simulations, thereby providing further insights into the underlying physical processes of the jet and shock formation and evolution.

Experiments were performed using the Prague Asterix Laser System to study the effect of expanding plasma on electromagnetic pulse propagation (EMP) in the interaction chamber in an intensity regime of 10 16 W cm −2 . Similar to the interaction that occurs between radio waves and the ionosphere, the expansion of laser-produced plasma causes the vacuum chamber to be gradually filled with inhomogeneous plasma that interacts with the emitted EMP. Combining the space-time analysis of a plasma density inside the interaction chamber and the fast Fourier transform filtering of antenna signals, we have resolved the influence of the expanding plasma on space-time characteristics of EMP.

This paper presents experimental investigation of temperature scaling and threshold of instability in hot electron and bremsstrahlung radiation from the interaction of sub-nanosecond and kilo-joule class laser pulse with tantalum foil target at Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS). The laser intensity was varied between 4×10^{15} and 3×10^{16} W . cm^{-2} at the target focus. The energy distribution functions of electrons were measured by an angular array of magnetic spectrometers indicating the electron temperature in the range between 30 keV and 70 keV. The bremsstrahlung spectrum was characterized using a scintillator based calorimeter. Specially, we show the laser-energy scaling of the total flux of hot electrons in forward and backward directions with respect to the laser vector, the conversion efficiency of the laser energy to the energy carried by hot electrons, and temperature of hot electrons as well as the unfolded bremsstrahlung temperature using Monte Carlo code consistent with signals of the scintillator detector. The scaling shows that the electron flux increases discontinuously with increasing laser intensity from ∼ 1−2×10^{16} W . cm^{-2} with consequent instability in the production of hot electrons and bremsstrahlung radiation.