arXiv subjects

Joao Jorge Santos

Publications and source records attributed to Joao Jorge Santos.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Laser Interactions with Gas Jets: EMP Emission and Nozzle Damage

Understanding the physics of electromagnetic pulse emission and nozzle damage is critical for the long-term operation of laser experiments with gas targets, particularly at facilities looking to produce stable sources of radiation at high repetition rate. We present a theoretical model of plasma formation and electrostatic charging when high-power lasers are focused inside gases. The model can be used to estimate the amplitude of gigahertz electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) produced by the laser and the extent of damage to the gas jet nozzle. Looking at a range of laser and target properties relevant to existing high-power laser systems, we find that EMP fields of tens to hundreds of kV/m can be generated several metres from the gas jet. Model predictions are compared with measurements of EMP, plasma formation and nozzle damage from two experiments on the VEGA-3 laser and one experiment on the Vulcan Petawatt laser.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2023

High-repetition-rate source of nanosecond duration kA-current pulses driven by relativistic laser pulses

We report the first high-repetition rate generation and simultaneous characterization of nanosecond-scale return currents of kA-magnitude issued by the polarization of a target irradiated with a PW-class high-repetition-rate Ti:Sa laser system at relativistic intensities. We present experimental results obtained with the VEGA-3 laser at intensities from 5e18 - 1.3e20 W/cm2. A non-invasive inductive return-current monitor is adopted to measure the derivative of return-currents on the order of kA/ns and analysis methodology is developed to derive return-currents. We compare the current for copper, aluminium and Kapton targets at different laser energies. The data shows the stable production of current peaks and clear prospects for the tailoring of the pulse shape, promising for future applications in high energy density science, e.g. electromagnetic interference stress tests, high-voltage pulse response measurements, and charged particle beam lensing. We compare the target discharge of the order of hundreds of nC with theoretical predictions and a good agreement is found.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2017

Magnetized Fast Isochoric Laser Heating for Efficient Creation of Ultra-High-Energy-Density States

The quest for the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) ignition is a grand challenge, as exemplified by extraordinary large laser facilities. Fast isochoric heating of a pre-compressed plasma core with a high-intensity short-pulse laser is an attractive and alternative approach to create ultra-high-energy-density states like those found in ICF ignition sparks. This avoids the ignition quench caused by the hot spark mixing with the surrounding cold fuel, which is the crucial problem of the currently pursued ignition scheme. High-intensity lasers efficiently produce relativistic electron beams (REB). A part of the REB kinetic energy is deposited in the core, and then the heated region becomes the hot spark to trigger the ignition. However, only a small portion of the REB collides with the core because of its large divergence. Here we have demonstrated enhanced laser-to-core energy coupling with the magnetized fast isochoric heating. The method employs a kilo-tesla-level magnetic field that is applied to the transport region from the REB generation point to the core which results in guiding the REB along the magnetic field lines to the core. 7.7 $\pm$ 1.3 % of the maximum coupling was achieved even with a relatively small radial area density core ($ρR$ $\sim$ 0.1 g/cm$^2$). The guided REB transport was clearly visualized in a pre-compressed core by using Cu-$K_α$ imaging technique. A simplified model coupled with the comprehensive diagnostics yields 6.2\% of the coupling that agrees fairly with the measured coupling. This model also reveals that an ignition-scale areal density core ($ρR$ $\sim$ 0.4 g/cm$^2$) leads to much higher laser-to-core coupling ($>$ 15%), this is much higher than that achieved by the current scheme.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2015

Physics of Giant ElectroMagnetic Pulse generation in short pulse laser experiments

In this paper we describe the physical processes that lead to the generation of Giant Electro- Magnetic Pulses (GEMP) on powerful laser facilities. Our study is based on experimental mea- surements of both the charging of a solid target irradiated by an ultra-short, ultra-intense laser and the detection of the electromagnetic emission in the GHz domain. An unambiguous correlation between the neutralisation current in the target holder and the electromagnetic emission shows that the source of the GEMP is the remaining positive charge inside the target after the escape of fast electrons accelerated by the ultra-intense laser. A simple model for calculating this charge in the thick target case is presented. From this model and knowing the geometry of the target holder, it becomes possible to estimate the intensity and the dominant frequencies of the GEMP on any facility.

physics.plasm-ph↗