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Computational studies of laser-matter interactions

University of British Columbia

Using a one-dimensional hydrodynamic computer code, the ablation process in laser-matter interactions was investigated. In particular, wavelength and intensity scaling laws for the mass ablation rate and ablation pressure have been calculated. These results were compared with previous experimental results obtained from ion calorimeter and Faraday cup measurements. The calculated and measured intensity scalings were found to be in good agreement. The stronger wavelength scaling observed in the experimental results is explained by considering the effects of X-ray radiation from the hot plasma. Moreover, the numerical results suggest that lateral energy transport can lead to an ablation area significantly larger than the laser focal spot. By modelling the ion recombination process in an expanding plasma an estimate of the error introduced in ion measurements by assuming a constant ionization state was calculated. An independent check on the ablation pressure scaling laws was conducted by measuring the shock velocity through planar aluminum targets. This yielded scaling laws in good agreement with the simulation results.

Text

2010-05-17

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/24813

Physics

University of British Columbia

Graduate