Proposed Technique for Creation and Detection of Hot Electron Ionization and Gain Effects in a Laser-Produced Tin Plasma

摘要

It has recently been demonstrated that suprathermal electrons, while deleterious to laser fusion, may have significant and beneficial effects in plasma ionization and promoting population inversions in neon-like ions. In this report we consider experimental demonstration of these effects. Using linearly focused and aligned beams, we propose a series of shots with planar tin targets (Z=50). At irradiances of approx. = 1-4 X 10 to the 14th power W /cm, both the energies and numbers of hot electrons produced by a 1.05 micron laser beam should be appropriate for substantial enhancement of gain in the 3s-3p transition of neon-like tin at 118.2A. If possible, a quiescent plasma should be prepared with an 0.35 micron beam, which would be followed by a 1.05 micron pulse to create a burst of hot electrons at 4-5 keV to pump the upper leasing state. (Author)