Fast Heating of Imploded Plasma Using Abnormal Penetration of Ultra-Intense Laser Light

Abstract

We investigated the direct irradiation of ultra-intense laser (UIL) light into imploded plasma. Due to the relativistic effects of UIL, laser light can penetrate deeper inside an over-critical density surface. We demonstrated a stable, single plasma channel in mm-size coronal plasma, the penetration of UIL into overdense plasma, and heating by the created fast electron beam. From these results, we expect more than 10% energy coupling from UIL to the fuel core by reducing the electron beam divergence angle within 30°.