Precision Equation-of-State (EOS) Measurements Using Laser-Driven Shock Waves Using the OMEGA Laser

Recent advances in diagnostics and analysis enables highly precise measurements of material properties at very high pressures. When quartz is used as a standard (reference) material for impedance-matched experiments with transparent samples, VISAR is able to track the shock velocity throughout the experiment. This enables the velocities at the impedance-matched point to be determined with an uncertainty of $\sim $1{\%}. Similarly, the effects of steadiness and curvature can readily be evaluated. These refinements provide precision EOS data previously unattainable at these high pressures. We report on EOS measurements (at 1 to 10 Mbar) performed at the OMEGA Laser Facility. This work was supported by U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inertial Confinement Fusion under Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC52-08NA28302.