Measurements of magnetic fields in two beam laser-solid interactions using proton grid deflectrometry

ORAL

Abstract

Measurements of the self-generated magnetic fields around the focal spots of two laser heater beams ($1 \: \rm{ns}$ pulse duration, $1 \: \mu \rm{m}$ wavelength, $1 \times 10^{15} \: \rm{Wcm}^{-2}$) on a planar target were made. Face-on proton grid deflectometry was used to measure the magnetic field at the focal spot edges to be $0.7 - 1.3$ MG. The proton deflectometry also provides evidence that the plasma flows from the focal spots are magnetized. The formation of a driven magnetic reconnection geometry with varying focal spot separation will be discussed.

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Authors

  • L. Willingale

  • P.M. Nilson

  • M.C. Kaluza

  • A.E. Dangor

  • P. Fernandes

  • M.G. Haines

  • C. Kamperides

  • R.J. Kingham

  • Z. Najmudin

  • M.S. Wei

  • K. Krushelnick

    • Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London. SW7 2BZ United Kingdom

  • M. Notley

  • S. Bandyopadhyay

  • M. Sherlock

  • R.G. Evans

    • Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Oxon. OX11 0QX United Kingdom

  • S. Minardi

  • M. Tatarakis

    • Technological Educational Institue of Crete, Chania, Crete, Greece

  • W. Rozmus

    • Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada