An experiment was performed using the PALS laser to study laser-target coupling and laser-plasma interaction in an intensity regime 1016 W/cm2, relevant for the “shock ignition” approach to Inertial Confinement Fusion. A first beam at low intensity was used to create an extended preformed plasma, and a second one to create a strong shock. Pressures up to 90 Megabars were inferred. Our results show the importance of the details of energy transport in the overdense region

No abstract

No abstract

An overview of the Czech national R&D project HiLASE (High average power pulsed laser) is presented. The project focuses on the development of advanced high repetition rate, diode pumped solid state laser (DPSSL) systems with energies in the range from mJ to 100 J and repetition rates in the range from 10 Hz to 100 kHz. Some applications of these lasers in research and hi-tech industry are also presented.

A compact, high-repetition table-top EUV source, based on a gas-puff target, is presented. This source was developed in our group and is capable of emitting quasi-monochromatic radiation at 13.8 nm wavelength with the inverse relative bandwidth of 140 and pulse energies up to similar to 1.3 mu J/pulse at 10-Hz repetition rate. The source is debris-free, operates near the lithographic wavelengths and offers the energy density of similar to 0.4 mJ/cm(2) in each EUV pulse. These three features make the source attractive for lithographic experiments. The timing optimization of the source, its energy per pulse, spectral and spatial distributions are pointed out in detail as well as the enhancement in energy density achievable with a multi-layer collector mirror compared to a planar mirror of equal reflectivity