Isochoric heating and strong blast wave formation driven by fast electrons in solid-density targets

Abstract

We experimentally investigate the fast (<1 ps) isochoric heating of multi-layer metallic foils and subsequent high-pressure hydrodynamics induced by energetic electrons driven by high-intensity, high-contrast laser pulses. The early-time temperature profile inside the target is measured from the streaked optical pyrometry of the target rear side. This is further characterized from benchmarked simulations of the laser-target interaction and the fast electron transport. Despite a modest laser energy (<1 J), the early-time high pressures and associated gradients launch inwards a strong compression wave developing over 10 ps into a 140 Mbar blast wave, according to hydrodynamic simulations, consistent with our measurements. These experimental and numerical findings pave the way to a short-pulse-laser-based platform dedicated to high-energy-density physics studies.