Ultrahigh-Pressure Laser-Driven Shock-Wave Experiments in Aluminum

Abstract

We have measured the velocities of strong laser-driven shocks in aluminum. Pressures of 0.6 and 1.8 TPa were produced by incident laser intensities of 8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{13}$ and 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{14}$ W/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. This is the first time that pressures this high have been inferred in a laboratory experiment.