Absorption and Hot-Electron Production for 1.05 and 0.53 μm Light on Spherical Targets

Abstract

Laser-plasma interaction experiments have been performed with both 1.05- and 0.53-\ensuremath{\mu}m-wavelength light incident on spherical glass targets. Comparisons of hard x-ray spectra and fast-ion energy imply a substantial reduction of hot-electron levels at the shorter wavelength. Increased absorbed energy fractions at the shorter wavelength are in agreement with the expected scaling of inverse bremsstrahlung absorption.