Plasma physics experiments at Z6:
Interaction of heavy ions with laser driven plasma
Ø energy loss of projectile ions in ideal / non-ideal plasma
Ø charge state distribution of ions penetrating plasma
Ø charge exchange processes in ionized matter
Ø probing of plasma properties by energy loss of heavy ions
Various plasma heating schemes

Direct heating
high Te
highly ionized
strong gradients

Hohlraum heating
moderate Te
moderate ionized
homogeneous
Various targets

Directly heated foil targets:
hot (Te > 200 eV)
plasma highly / fully ionized
plasma fast expanding
energy loss in ideal plasma

Hohlraum target with foil/foam:
homogeneous
moderate temperature
slow expansion
energy loss in non-ideal plasma

Direct heated foams:
smoothing of laser energy
slow expansion
super sonic ionization

Cryogenic H-target:
fully ionized plasma target
Charge exchange by free electrons
Recent results:
Energy loss and charge state distribution of Ar ions at 4 MeV/u penetrating a laser generated Carbon plasma
Projectile: 36Ar | Target: laser heated Carbon foil | Laser: nhelix (NdYAG) |
---|---|---|
Energy: 4 MeV/u | Thickness: 0.5 µm (100 µg/cm²) | Wavelength: 1064 nm |
Initial charge state: 16+ | Plasma density: 1018 – 1022 e/cm3 | Energy: 50 J |
Plasma temperature: up to 250 eV | Pulse length: 10 ns | |
Intensity: 5·1011 W/cm2 |
Collaboration: TU-Darmstadt; Uni-Frankfurt; VNIIEF-Sarov; ITEP-Moscow; LPI-Moscow