Random Phasing of High-Power Lasers for Uniform Target Acceleration and Plasma-Instability Suppression

Y. Kato, K. Mima, N. Miyanaga, Shinji Arinaga, Y. Kitagawa, M. Nakatsuka, Chiyoe Yamanaka

Physical Review Letters · 1984 · 708 citations · 10 references

Concepts

TL;DR

Short‑wavelength random‑phased beam irradiation is promising for compression. The method converts a coherent laser into a random‑phased wave to control the target intensity profile. Random‑phased waves uniformly accelerate planar and spherical targets, suppress small‑scale intensity nonuniformities, and weakly excite n_c/4 plasma waves as shown by 3/2‑harmonic emission.

Abstract

By converting a coherent wave to a random-phased wave, the intensity profile on a target becomes easily controllable. Planar as well as spherical targets were irradiated for the first time by the random-phased wave. The targets were uniformly accelerated without being affected by the small-scale intensity nonuniformities. The $\frac{3}{2}$-harmonic emission shows that the plasma waves at $\frac{{n}_{c}}{4}$ are only weakly excited in a spherical plasma. Irradiation with short-wavelength, random-phased beams will be suitable for compression.

References

10