Studies of Self Focusing and Filamentation Instabilities in Short Wavelength Laser Fusion: Final Technical Report for the Period 29 May 1986-28 April 1988

摘要

Azimuthal periodic breakup of a radially modulated 0.35 mu m laser beam has been inferred in plasmas produced from solid targets. The breakup is more severe in gold plasmas compared to glass or aluminum plasmas and occurs at rather modest laser intensities of /approximately/5 /times/ 10 sup 12 W/cm sup 2 . Thermal filamentation is suggested as the mechanism for the observed beam breakup. (ERA citation 13:035431)