Isochoric Heating of Reduced Mass Targets by Ultra-Intense Lasers

Recent results using a novel target design that allows material high temperature ($\sim $ 1 keV) solid density plasmas to be created using ultra-intense laser pulses will be presented. Layered targets composed of titanium and tamped with aluminum were irradiated with 1$<$ E $<$ 200 Joules, 1 and 10 picosecond laser pulses. Significant increases in temperature over standard foil targets were observed. Using refined energy conservation arguments and coupling of PIC simulation results into a rad-hydro code, theoretical predictions of achievable temperatures are compared against temperatures inferred from experimental data. Predictions for plastic, titanium, and copper targets irradiated by a wide range of laser parameters will also be presented.