We report on a plasma optical shutter to reduce the intensity level of a nanosecond-duration pedestal of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) using an ultrathin foil. The foil is ionized by the ASE prepulse and forms an expanding underdense preplasma, which enables the main laser pulse transmission, leading to an enhancement in temporal contrast. When such a plasma shutter is placed in front of a main target of interest, the preplasma profiles observed are similar to that produced from a single-layer reference target irradiated by a high-contrast laser, and can be finely tuned by varying the shutter thickness. Proton beams with significantly reduced divergence and higher flux density were measured experimentally using the double-foil design. The reduction in beam divergence is a characteristic signature of higher contrast laser production as a combined consequence of less target deformation and flatter sheath-acceleration field, as supported by the two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic and particle-in-cell simulations. The plasma shutter holds the promise to enhance the laser contrast and manipulate the preplasma conditions for application in high-field-physics experiments.
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November 2017
Research Article|
November 30 2017
Plasma optical shutter in ultraintense laser-foil interaction Available to Purchase
W. Q. Wei;
W. Q. Wei
1
Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
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X. H. Yuan;
X. H. Yuan
a)
1
Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
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Y. Fang
;
Y. Fang
1
Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
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Z. Y. Ge;
Z. Y. Ge
3
College of Science, National University of Defense Technology
, Changsha 410073, China
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X. L. Ge;
X. L. Ge
1
Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
4
State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University
, Shanghai 200433, China
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S. Yang;
S. Yang
1
Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
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Y. F. Li;
Y. F. Li
5
Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
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G. Q. Liao;
G. Q. Liao
5
Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
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Z. Zhang
;
Z. Zhang
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
5
Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
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F. Liu;
F. Liu
1
Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
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M. Chen
;
M. Chen
1
Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
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L. Zhao;
L. Zhao
4
State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University
, Shanghai 200433, China
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H. B. Zhuo;
H. B. Zhuo
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
3
College of Science, National University of Defense Technology
, Changsha 410073, China
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Y. T. Li
;
Y. T. Li
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
5
Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
6
School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Z. M. Sheng;
Z. M. Sheng
1
Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
7
SUPA, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde
, Glasgow G4 0NG, United Kingdom
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J. Zhang
J. Zhang
b)
1
Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
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W. Q. Wei
1,2
X. H. Yuan
1,2,a)
Y. Fang
1,2
Z. Y. Ge
3
X. L. Ge
1,2,4
S. Yang
1,2
Y. F. Li
5
G. Q. Liao
5
Z. Zhang
2,5
F. Liu
1,2
M. Chen
1,2
L. Zhao
4
H. B. Zhuo
2,3
Y. T. Li
2,5,6
Z. M. Sheng
1,2,7
J. Zhang
1,2,b)
1
Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
2
Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai 200240, China
3
College of Science, National University of Defense Technology
, Changsha 410073, China
4
State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University
, Shanghai 200433, China
5
Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
6
School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
7
SUPA, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde
, Glasgow G4 0NG, United Kingdom
a)
Electronic mail: [email protected].
b)
Electronic mail: [email protected].
Phys. Plasmas 24, 113111 (2017)
Article history
Received:
October 10 2017
Accepted:
November 09 2017
Citation
W. Q. Wei, X. H. Yuan, Y. Fang, Z. Y. Ge, X. L. Ge, S. Yang, Y. F. Li, G. Q. Liao, Z. Zhang, F. Liu, M. Chen, L. Zhao, H. B. Zhuo, Y. T. Li, Z. M. Sheng, J. Zhang; Plasma optical shutter in ultraintense laser-foil interaction. Phys. Plasmas 1 November 2017; 24 (11): 113111. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5008843
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