Abstract
Optical generation of compact magnetized plasma structures is studied in the moderate intensity domain. A sub-ns laser beam irradiated snail-shaped targets with the intensity of about 1016 W/cm2. With a neat optical diagnostics, a sub-megagauss magnetized plasmoid is traced inside the target. On the observed hydrodynamic time scale, the hot plasma formation achieves a theta-pinch-like density and magnetic field distribution, which implodes into the target interior. This simple and elegant plasma magnetization scheme in the moderate-intensity domain is of particular interest for fundamental astrophysical-related studies and for development of future technologies.
Highlights
Laboratory astrophysics attracts more and more attention due to progress in laser systems, diagnostics, and magnetic field generation
The interaction process was studied in detail by using primarily an optical diagnostics based on the 2-frame femtosecond polaro-interferometry[5,11]
An auxiliary synchronized Ti:Sa laser pulse[17] with a wavelength of 808 nm and the pulse duration 40 fs was used for the complex polaro-interferometric diagnostics
Summary
Laboratory astrophysics attracts more and more attention due to progress in laser systems, diagnostics, and magnetic field generation. No theoretical or experimental results were ever presented for such targets illuminated by moderate-intensity laser pulses. We present the first experimental study of snail-shaped targets, the geometry of which is schematically shown in Fig. 1a), irradiated by a sub-ns laser beam in the moderate (~1016 W/cm2) intensity regime. The interaction process was studied in detail by using primarily an optical diagnostics based on the 2-frame femtosecond polaro-interferometry[5,11]. This method provides a possibility to obtain in a single shot two frames with data containing information on both plasma density and the magnetic field distribution. An auxiliary synchronized Ti:Sa laser pulse[17] with a wavelength of 808 nm and the pulse duration 40 fs was used for the complex polaro-interferometric diagnostics
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