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journal article·2021-03-01Open access

Micro-optics for ultra-intense lasers

H. Habara, Amit D. Lad, R. Nagami, Prashant Kumar Singh, Gourab Chatterjee, Amitava Adak, Malay Dalui, J. Jha, P. Brijesh, Y. Mishima, K. Nagai, H. Sakagami, Sheroy Tata, T. Madhu Trivikram, M. Krishnamurthy, K. A. Tanaka, G. Ravindra Kumar

AIP Advances· Volume 11· Issue 3
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Source abstract

Abstract

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.
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Research context

Nanomaterials

OpenAlex topics: Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics · Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications · Laser Material Processing Techniques

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University 1 , Suita, Osaka 565 0871, Japan

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research 2 , 1, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400 005, India

Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology 3 , Suzukake-dai, Midori-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 226-8503, Japan

Fundamental Physics Simulation Research Division, National Institute for Fusion Science 4 , Toki 509-5292, Japan

TIFR-Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences 5 , 36/P, Gopanpally Village, Serilingampally Mandal, Ranga Reddy District, Hyderabad 500 046, India

Extreme Light Infrastructure–Nuclear Physics 6 , 30 Reatorului, Magurele–Bucharest 77125, Romania

Funding

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Type C · Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Type S · NSFC · Science Challenge Project · Cooperative Research Program of Network Joint Research Center for Materials and Devices · Nanotechnology Platform Project · JSPS Asian Core Research and Education Program · J. C. Bose Fellowship Grant

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