Demonstration of plasma mirror capability for the OMEGA Extended Performance laser system

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Laser-Plasma Interactions
• High-Energy-Density Physics

Background:

• The OMEGA-EP facility requires advanced beam manipulation for flexible experimental setups.
• Improving laser contrast is crucial for future high-intensity experiments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a plasma mirror platform for the OMEGA-EP facility.
• To assess the plasma mirror's performance in redirecting short-pulse laser beams.
• To evaluate its potential for enhancing laser contrast and enabling new experiments.

Main Methods:

• A plasma mirror was created by focusing a short-pulse laser onto a 12.5 μm copper foil.
• Secondary sources (Bremsstrahlung, kα x-rays, accelerated ions, and electrons) were measured.
• Performance metrics (integrated reflectivity, optical quality) were inferred from secondary source measurements.

Main Results:

• The plasma mirror achieved an integrated reflectivity of 62 ± 13% for a 310 J, 5 ps laser pulse at 1670 J cm⁻² fluence.
• On-target intensity reached 3.1 × 10¹⁸ W cm⁻², indicating good beam optical quality post-interaction.
• Secondary source generation confirmed effective particle acceleration and x-ray production.

Conclusions:

• The developed plasma mirror platform is effective for beam redirection and enhancing experimental configurations.
• The system demonstrates readiness for integration into short-pulse particle acceleration and high-energy photon generation experiments on OMEGA-EP.
• Performance metrics derived from secondary sources validate the plasma mirror's capabilities.