Diagnostics for the laser fusion program - Plasma physics on the scale of microns and picoseconds

Abstract

Diagnostic techniques are reviewed in the context of insights they provide to physical processes dominating the implosion of laser fusion targets. Specific examples chosen from recent experiments demonstrate that adequate diagnostic techniques, resolved to microns and picoseconds, have been developed for the demanding requirements of laser driven "exploding pusher" targets. Future diagnostic needs are related to the special problems forseen with "ablatively driven" high density implosions.