LLE Review 80

Highlights

LLE Review 80 covers a broad range of research topics, beginning with two theoretical analysis articles. The first feature article explains how laser nonuniformity can generate mass perturbations through “laser imprint.” Modulated laser illumination is shown to impact the predicted stability of velocity and acceleration of material during the early portion of the irradiation; thermal smoothing and mass ablation are shown to mitigate the perturbations. Simulated NIF direct-drive cryogenic designs with 1-THz SSD remain intact during the implosion. The second feature article distills self-focused filament stability in laser-formed plasmas to a tractable prediction of stability over a variety of size and shape filaments. This issue also presents articles on the following topics:

  • Broadband SSD implementation on OMEGA: architecture and integration issues
  • Temporal pulse shape’s effect on laser imprinting and beam smoothing: experiments and simulations
  • Laser regenerative amplifier signal-to-noise experiments and modeling, covering sources of noise and system optimization
  • Optical fabrication developments that highlight the extension of magnetorheological fluid (MRF) techniques to crystalline optical materials.