Intensity Limits for Propagation of 0.527 μm Laser Beams through Large-Scale-Length Plasmas for Inertial Confinement Fusion

摘要

We have established the intensity limits for propagation of a frequency-doubled (2ω, 527 nm) high intensity interaction beam through an underdense large-scale-length plasma. We observe good beam transmission at laser intensities at or below 2 X 10~(14) W/cm~2 and a strong reduction at intensities up to 10~(15) W/cm~2 due to the onset of parametric scattering instabilities. We show that temporal beam smoothing by spectral dispersion allows a factor of 2 higher intensities while keeping the beam spray constant, which establishes frequency-doubled light as an option for ignition and burn in inertial confinement fusion experiments.