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Highlights

This volume of the LLE Review, covering October–December 2007, features a report on target experiments using the Multi-Terawatt (MTW) Laser Facility to study the isochoric (constant volume) heating of solid-density targets by electrons produced from intense, short-pulse laser irradiation. Electron refluxing occurs due to target-sheath field effects and contains most of the fast electrons within the target volume. This efficiently heats the solid-density plasma through collisions. X-ray spectroscopic measurements indicate that laser energy couples to fast electrons with a conversion efficiency of ~20%. Bulk electron temperatures of at least 200 eV are inferred for the smallest mass targets.

Additional highlights of research presented in this issue include the following:

• The design of a high-resolution optical transition-radiation diagnostic for fast-electron-transport studies using the MTW facility.
• The performance of direct-drive cryogenic target implosions is analyzed.
• Results of initial implosion experiments to study shock-ignition inertial confinement fusion target concepts are discussed.
• Time-resolved absorption measurements in cryogenic, as well as room-temperature, direct-drive OMEGA implosions are presented.
• A report is included on monoenergetic proton radiography of electromagnetic field and particle density distributions in ICF target implosions.