https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2005-00262-x
VUV-heating of plasma layers and their use as ultrafast switches
Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Hans-Kopfermann-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
Corresponding author: a Annika.Krenz@mpq.mpg.de
Received:
20
May
2005
Revised:
10
August
2005
Published online:
27
September
2005
We report on new possibilities to generate solid-density plasma at extreme energy density by intense VUV beams. Here we consider 100 fs pulses of 30 eV photons focused to 1016 and 1018 W/cm2. The temperature evolution in 50 nm thick aluminum foils is discussed on the basis of simulations, performed with the one-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics code MULTI-fs. For 30 eV photons, the foil is shown to switch from transmission to reflection mode on a femto-second time-scale; this is due to the rapid change of the plasma frequency during laser heating which may turn an initially transparent Al-foil into an opaque one. The switching-time depends on the intensity of the laser pulse. Also layered heating structures inside the foil are discussed which occur due to reflection at the rear surface.
PACS: 52.50.Jm – Plasma production and heating by laser beams (laser-foil, laser-cluster, etc.) / 52.38.Dx – Laser light absorption in plasmas (collisional, parametric, etc.) / 78.20.Ci – Optical constants (including refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity)
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2005
