Picosecond time-resolved measurements of dense plasma line shifts

On the development of relativistic distorted wave approximation for the energies and collision dynamics of atoms or ions subjected to the outside plasma

In this manuscript, we present the development of a relativistic distorted wave method for determining the energies and collision dynamics of plasma-immersed atoms or ions. The methodology is based on the Dirac–Coulomb Hamiltonian, in which contributions from relativity and higher order effects, such as quantum electrodynamics and Breit interaction, are incorporated. The key element in this method is that a modified Debye–Hückel approximation is employed to represent the effect of plasma screening. In order to correctly describe the (bound and continuous state) wave functions, a self-consistent field calculation incorporating the shielding potential is performed within the fully relativistic framework. The particle interaction within the scattering matrix element of the excitation process is described by the shielded Coulomb interaction. The present technique is illustrated by calculations of energy, line shift, transition probability, electron-impact excitation/ionization cross section, and photoionization cross section of a few-electron system confined in plasma environments. The present model is tested and validated against a number of known cases (simulations are made for the He-like Al11+ ion) in the literatures. Numerical results demonstrate that the modifications to the Coulomb potential proposed in the spatial and temporal criteria of the Debye–Hückel approximation allow us to improve the theoretical description of the plasma shielding and thus the dynamical processes in dense plasmas. Comparisons of our computational predictions and the recent experimental measurements are performed. The current work not only has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the dense plasma screening, but also has potential applications in fusion, laboratory astrophysics, and related disciplines.

Theoretical evaluation of excitation cross section and fluorescence polarization of a solid-density Si plasma

In this article, a fully relativistic approach is proposed to precisely predict the electronic structures, spectral properties, cross sections, and degrees of linear polarization of light emitted after excitation of plasma-embedded ions by electron impact, taking into account the plasma shielding effects on the atomic structures and collision dynamics, in addition to the contributions of Breit interaction and quantum electrodynamics effects. The scheme employs the effective shielding potential deduced from a solution of Poisson equation, based on the self-consistent field ion-sphere simulations to explain the interactions among the charged particles, where the perturbation correlation Dirac–Coulomb Hamiltonian is constructed. The simple and understandable form makes it a good substitute for complex self-consistent field calculation. As an illustrative example, a comparative investigation regarding the influences of different plasma temperature and density parameters on the level energies, transition rates, integrated total/magnetic sublevel cross sections, and linear polarizations of the radiation following electron-impact excitation of Si XIII (a solid-density Si plasma) is carried out. Numerical results show that the plasma density effect can significantly affect the atomic structures and collision cross sections, yet has limited influence on the polarization characteristics. A comparison of our calculations with other results, when available, is made. The advanced approach presented here not only opens a novel window for exploring the atomic dynamics processes in hot and/or dense plasmas, but also provides important information about polarization of the line emission. This study is beneficial for the high energy density physics, laser-produced plasmas, and astrophysical applications.

Atomic Processes, Including Photoabsorption, Subject to Outside Charge-Neutral Plasma

We present in this review our recent theoretical studies on atomic processes subject to the plasma environment including the α and β emissions and the ground state photoabsorption of the one- and two-electron atoms and ions. By carefully examining the spatial and temporal criteria of the Debye–Hückel (DH) approximation based on the classical Maxwell–Boltzmann statistics, we were able to represent the plasma effect with a Debye–Hückel screening potential VDH in terms of the Debye length D, which is linked to the ratio between the plasma density N and its temperature kT. Our theoretical data generated with VDH from the detailed non-relativistic and relativistic multiconfiguration atomic structure calculations compare well with the limited measured results from the most recent experiments. Starting from the quasi-hydrogenic picture, we were able to show qualitatively that the energy shifts of the emission lines could be expressed in terms of a general expression as a function of a modified parameter, i.e., the reduced Debye length λ. The close agreement between theory and experiment from our study may help to facilitate the plasma diagnostics to determine the electron density and the temperature of the outside plasma.

Transition energies and oscillator strengths for the intrashell and intershell transitions of the C-like ions in a thermodynamic equilibrium plasma environment

We present a theoretical study of the transition energies ω and the oscillator strengths gf for the C-like ions (with Z from 14-36) subject to plasma environment for atomic transitions, which meet the spatial and temporal criteria of the Debye-Hückel (DH) approximation. Two strong dipole-allowed transitions, viz., the intrashell transition 2s2p^{3}^{3}D_{1}→2s^{2}2p^{2}^{3}P_{0}, and the intershell transition 2s^{2}2p3d^{3}D_{1}→2s^{2}2p^{2}^{3}P_{0} are investigated in detail. We found that both ω and gf increase for the intrashell transition under the Debye-Hückel screening potential V_{DH} in terms of the Debye length D, which is linked to the ratio between the plasma density N_{e} and its temperature kT. In contrast, both ω and gf decrease for the intershell transition. Our theoretically estimated data have led to a general scaling feature for the change in ω of both intershell and intrashell transitions for ions with different nuclear charge Z. A similar general feature for the change in gf is also found for the intrashell transition. However, due to the change of the electron correlations between electrons in different shells with respect to the relativistic spin-orbit interaction as Z varies, the variation of gf subject to the surrounding plasma is more complicated for the intershell transition. The results presented in this work may facilitate the plasma diagnostic to determine the plasma temperature and density for the astrophysical objects and the controlled fusion facilities.

Advanced laser development and plasma-physics studies on the multiterawatt laser

The multiterawatt (MTW) laser, built initially as the prototype front end for a petawatt laser system, is a 1053 nm hybrid system with gain from optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) and Nd:glass. Compressors and target chambers were added, making MTW a complete laser facility (output energy up to 120 J, pulse duration from 20 fs to 2.8 ns) for studying high-energy-density physics and developing short-pulse laser technologies and target diagnostics. Further extensions of the laser support ultrahigh-intensity laser development of an all-OPCPA system and a Raman plasma amplifier. A short summary of the variety of scientific experiments conducted on MTW is also presented.

Effect of plastic coating on the density of plasma formed in Si foil targets irradiated by ultra-high-contrast relativistic laser pulses

The formation of high energy density matter occurs in inertial confinement fusion, astrophysical, and geophysical systems. In this context, it is important to couple as much energy as possible into a target while maintaining high density. A recent experimental campaign, using buried layer (or "sandwich" type) targets and the ultrahigh laser contrast Vulcan petawatt laser facility, resulted in 500 Mbar pressures in solid density plasmas (which corresponds to about 4.6×10^{7}J/cm^{3} energy density). The densities and temperatures of the generated plasma were measured based on the analysis of x-ray spectral line profiles and relative intensities.