Optimum Physical Conditions of Accelerating Solid State Bodies in the Regime of Laser Ablation

摘要

A brief analytical review of basic data obtained in theoretical and experimental investigations into the process of acceleration of solid bodies by a laser pulse in a mode of laser ablation is presented. It is noted the possibilities of laser acceleration methods have not been exposed yet. This can be ascribed to a great variety of physical conditions of acceleration by use of laser ablation depending on the problem stated and approach to its realization including the choice of material for ablation, type of laser facility, laser beam intensity and so on. The paper deals with the following: data on flat foil acceleration by a nanosecond laser pulse; conditions of accelerating frozen hydrogen pellets by a CO_2-laser pulse in the regime of laser driven rocket thrust; and possibilities of launching satellites into low-altitude earth orbits by use of high-power lasers. Optimal physical conditions in a laser plasma corona (vapours near the surface irradiated) which enable the best results to be reached are discussed.