Plasma as ultra-fast optical switch using relativistic transparency

ORAL

Abstract

Laser-plasma interaction leading to relativistic transparency (RT) in 100 nm thick Diamond-Like-Carbon (DLC) nanofoil has been directly observed at an intensity of 2 10$^{20}$ W/cm$^{2}$ by measuring the shape and temporal phase of the pulse reflected from the plasma using a single shot Frequency-Resolved-Optical-Gating (FROG). The reflected light intensity drops sharply at the onset of RT with its temporal phase capturing the time dependant interaction dynamics. The corresponding spectrum is shifted to the red side extending up to $\sim $100 nm from the laser light pressure rapidly moving the critical surface away from the laser. Results from a 2D-VPIC simulation are very well consistent with measurements.

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Authors

  • Sasikumar Palaniyappan

    Los Alamos Natl. Lab., Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Rahul Shah

    LANL, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Hui Wu

    Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Daniel Jung

    Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit\"at M\"unchen

  • Donald Gautier

    Los Alamos Natl. Lab., Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Lin Yin

    Los Alamos Natl. Lab., Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Brian Albright

    Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Randall Johnson

    LANL, Los Alamos Natl. Lab., Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Tsutomo Shimada

    LANL, Los Alamos Natl. Lab., Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Samuel Letzring

    Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Juan Fernandez

    Los ALamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos Natl. Lab., Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Bjorn Hegelich

    Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos Natl. Lab.