Laser-driven platform for generation and characterization of strong quasi-static magnetic fields

J J Santos (1) , M Bailly-Grandvaux (1) , L Giuffrida (1) , P Forestier-Colleoni (1) , S Fujioka (2) , Z Zhang , P Korneev (3, 1) , R Bouillaud (1) , S Dorard (4) , D Batani (1) , M Chevrot (4) , J E Cross (5) , R Crowston (6) , J-L Dubois (7) , J Gazave (7) , G Gregori (5) , E D’humières (1) , S Hulin (1) , K Ishihara (2) , S Kojima (2) , E Loyez (4) , J-R Marquès (4) , A Morace (2) , P Nicolaï (1) , O Peyrusse (1) , A Poyé (1) , D Raffestin (7) , J Ribolzi (7) , M Roth (8) , G Schaumann (8) , F Serres (4) , V T Tikhonchuk (1) , P Vacar (1, 4) , N Woolsey (6)

1 CELIA - Centre d'Etudes Lasers Intenses et Applications
2 Institute of laser Engineering
3 The National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute) [Moscow, Russia]
4 LULI - Laboratoire pour l'utilisation des lasers intenses
5 University of Oxford
6 University of York [York, UK]
7 CESTA - Centre d'études scientifiques et techniques d'Aquitaine
8 Institut für Kernphysik [Darmstadt]

Quasi-static magnetic-fields up to 800 T are generated in the interaction of intense laser pulses (500 J, 1 ns, 10(17) W cm(-2)) with capacitor-coil targets of different materials. The reproducible magnetic-field peak and rise-time, consistent with the laser pulse duration, were accurately inferred from measurements with GHz-bandwidth inductor pickup coils (B-dot probes). Results from Faraday rotation of polarized optical laser light and deflectometry of energetic proton beams are consistent with the B-dot probe measurements at the early stages of the target charging, up to t approximate to 0.35 ns, and then are disturbed by radiation and plasma effects. The field has a dipole-like distribution over a characteristic volume of 1 mm(3), which is consistent with theoretical expectations. These results demonstrate a very efficient conversion of the laser energy into magnetic fields, thus establishing a robust laser-driven platform for reproducible, well characterized, generation of quasi-static magnetic fields at the kT-level, as well as for magnetization and accurate probing of high-energy-density samples driven by secondary powerful laser or particle beams.

Keywords: laser-plasma interaction; laser-driven coil targets; strong magnetic field; B-dot probing; faraday rotation; proton-deflectometry; plasma magnetization

Domains: Physics [physics]

J J Santos, M Bailly-Grandvaux, L Giuffrida, P Forestier-Colleoni, S Fujioka, et al.. Laser-driven platform for generation and characterization of strong quasi-static magnetic fields. New Journal of Physics, 2015, 17 (8), pp.083051 ⟨10.1088/1367-2630/17/8/083051⟩. ⟨cea-01246238⟩