Ablative Acceleration of Laser-Irradiated Thin-Foil Targets

Abstract

Ablative acceleration of thin-foil targets at low laser irradiance (${10}^{12}$-${10}^{13}$ W/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$) is studied experimentally and theoretically. Ablative acceleration of foils up to \ensuremath{\sim}${10}^{7}$ cm/sec with good hydrodynamic efficiency (20%) has been achieved. These and other results are in good agreement with a simple rocket model.