Production of hot near-solid-density plasma by electron energy transport in a laser-produced plasma

Abstract

Targets with a layer of aluminum buried beneath a plastic overlay have been irradiated with 0.53 \ensuremath{\mu}m wavelength, 20-ps pulse length light at (1--2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{16}$ W ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$. The widths of Stark broadened Al xii 1${s}^{21}$${S}_{0}$--1s3p $^{1}P_{1}$ spectral lines and the ratios of satellite line intensities to the Al xii 1${s}^{2}$m $^{1}S_{0}$--1s2p $^{1}P_{1}$ spectral line emitted from the aluminum layer imply electron densities up to (6--8)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{22}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$. This result is a direct observation of significant energy transport to densities close to solid.