Moshe Fraenkel | Searcharxiv

arXiv2026

Spatio-Temporal Synchronization of Counter-Propagating Femtosecond Pulses

Generating intense x-ray radiation via inverse-Compton scattering and exploring the strong-field regime of QED, require precise spatio-temporal synchronization of tightly focused counter-propagating intense laser pulses. We present a protocol for establishing spatio-temporal synchronization in this geometry that combines microscope-based target positioning, wavefront-sensor-assisted alignment of off-axis parabolic mirrors, and a high-resolution temporal delay scan based on interference. We observed an interference window of 72 fs in good agreement with the expected autocorrelation width. The accuracy levels in space and time of using this protocol are discussed.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2021

Radiation drive temperature measurements in aluminium via radiation-driven shock waves: Modeling using self-similar solutions

We study the phenomena of radiative-driven shock waves using a semi-analytic model based on self similar solutions of the radiative hydrodynamic problem. The relation between the hohlraum drive temperature $T_{\mathrm{Rad}}$ and the resulting ablative shock $D_S$ is a well-known method for the estimation of the drive temperature. However, the various studies yield different scaling relations between $T_{\mathrm{Rad}}$ and $D_S$, based on different simulations. In [T. Shussman and S.I. Heizler, Phys. Plas., 22, 082109 (2015)] we have derived full analytic solutions for the subsonic heat wave, that include both the ablation and the shock wave regions. Using this self-similar approach we derive here the $T_{\mathrm{Rad}}(D_S)$ relation for aluminium, using the detailed Hugoniot relations and including transport effects. By our semi-analytic model, we find a spread of $\approx 40$eV in the $T_{\mathrm{Rad}}(D_S)$ curve, as a function of the temperature profile's duration and its temporal profile. Our model agrees with the various experiments and the simulations data, explaining the difference between the various scaling relations that appear in the literature.

physics.plasm-ph↗