Study of fast electron transport in warm dense plasma targets

Recent experiments [Le Pape et al., RSI 79, 106104, 2008] successfully demonstrated creation of a warm dense plasma using ns laser driven shock compression in a low-density foam target. Fast electron transport in such shock heated targets relevant to fast ignition is investigated using the Titan laser at LLNL. K-shell x-ray emission from the Cu fluorescent layer in the foam package targets is measured using Bragg crystal imagers and HOPG spectrometers. Electron transport through cold, conductor and shocked compressed foam targets is compared. The experiment is modeled using a 2D radiation hydro code and the hybrid PIC code LSP.