Application of Nomarski interference system in supersonic gas-jet target diagnosis

Abstract

Supersonic gas-jet target performs an important role in laser wakefield acceleration, and its density diagnosis is a significant part of target characteristic study. In this paper, a Mach–Zehnder and Nomarski interference system is set up and used for gas-jet target density diagnosis. We have investigated and compared the performance of the Mach–Zehnder part and Nomarski part. The feasibility of the Nomarski interferometer with vertical fringes has been verified. Moreover, it shows better stability and has a more compact structure, beneficial for obtaining more accurate and effective target density characterization in laser wakefield acceleration.